Life As I Know It
by ginger1983
Summary: *PREVIOUSLY TITLED "BOILER UP"* Trying to escape gossip & small-town hell, Bella moves to Santa Monica. A family tragedy brings her home just as she is finding herself. Will meeting Edward help or hurt Bella? Will he want her after he knows the truth?
1. Chapter 1 Going to California

**A/N: Nope, you aren't seeing things, I have re-posted chapter 1. I submitted my original chapter 1 to Twilighted, and they rejected it. So wandb_ff offered to help! She's amazing! *Check out her stories A Word Away (completed) and Surviving the Rain (in progress). Both are beautifully written, and AWA has MARINEward! YUMMY!* She really helped me punch this chapter up for you, and i really hope you enjoy the revision! The second to last sentence is entirely hers. She suggested it and i used it! Thanks, bb! I may be revising the other chapters as well, so keep your eyes pealed! **

**I do now own Twilight, Stephenie Meyer does. My sister's name is Alice, though!**

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Chapter 1

BPOV

May, 2008

I couldn't believe school was finally over! Graduation…I never thought I'd see the day. But it was here, and now I could finally move on with my life. I could finally move on from the embarrassment and shame that comes from being the laughing stock of a small town. I have my stepfather, Phil, to thank for that. Had he not done _that_, I could have continued to live a normal life and wouldn't have been suspended a month right before graduation for punching Tyler Crowley's little brother, who was teasing my little sister.

My sister, or rather half-sister, Bree, is five years younger than me. She is, I believe, the reason my mother married Phil to begin with. It was Renee's M.O.; date a guy, get pregnant, marry him. Only this time, she didn't divorce him right away, although she should have. Even after he completely ran our name into the ground and shoved Bree and I into pariah status with his obscenely disgusting secret, which was now public knowledge, she stood by his side. Even after both Bree and I begged her to leave him and move out of this small town hell, she remained. It made me angry when I allowed myself to think about it. Even though Phil was one fucked up individual, at least Bree got to grow up with both parents in the house.

Bree and I are night and day. Phil used to joke that we were _Daria_ and _Quin_; the old cartoon from MTV about two sisters in high school. _Daria _was the oldest and had long dark hair and eyes and wore glasses. She was the smart, sarcastic, dowdy, and unpopular one. _Quin _was the younger sister who was pretty, popular, perky, and as dense as London Fog. So, I was _Daria_ because I was smart, kept to myself, and had a wickedly sarcastic tongue. I also had the long dark hair and eyes. Bree was _Quin_ because she was bubbly, popular, and while also smart, she was beautiful and used her looks to get what she wanted. Even at the tender age of 13, her long sandy-brown hair and hazel eyes was a killer for any boy who came her way. I was Book Club President and junior editor of our school newspaper. Bree was a cheerleader, on the junior high debate team, and had been in two school sponsored plays – as the lead. She was sun, and I was shade. But I loved Bree, and I knew she felt the same way about me. When Phil did what he did, we only had each other to fall back on. She was more devastated than me because it was her father, and because she cared what people thought. Me? I didn't really give a shit.

My father, Charlie, lived in Washington State and was the Chief of Police in Forks, an even smaller town than the one I lived in. When my mother and father were first dating, Charlie was just a rookie officer in Phoenix, Arizona and still wet behind the ears. Renee had thought it was pretty damn sexy dating a cop. She claimed it was the uniform, but she didn't anticipate the worry that came along with being with an officer. Every night he went to work, she worried that he wouldn't come home.

Shortly after I was born, Charlie was promoted from patrol officer to crisis management. It turned out that he was good at talking people down when things got tense. Renee had hoped that it meant less danger for Charlie, but when I was a two years old, Charlie got shot by some punk who had taken the clerk of a small grocery store hostage. The guy came out shooting, and Charlie took a shot to the shoulder. After that, my mother decided that she'd had enough and packed herself and me up and relocated here, to Indiana.

I asked her once why in God's name would she move us to Indiana and not somewhere else warm and sunny. She said that she'd "had enough of bullshit and needed to get to the Midwest where people were more real and the seasons actually changed." Shortly after moving here, she found a job teaching in a small elementary school in Delphi, Indiana and that's where we stayed. That was also where she met Phil.

Phil was a jack of all trades in the school corporation. He taught elementary school gym classes, as well as being the head coach for the varsity wrestling and baseball teams, and assistant coach for several areas of the track team. He was physically fit, sweet, and loving to Renee and me. That's all she needed to know at the time. They managed to date for almost two years before they married, and three months after that, Bree was born. I was nearly five at the time.

"Hey, space cadet! Are you listening or what?" Bree shouted, pulling me from my thoughts, as she pushed her way through the mass of students and parents taking pictures.

"Sorry, sis, what did you say," I asked.

"Where were you? You looked like you were a million miles away?"

"Just thinking about all the bullshit of the last few years. I'm glad to be getting out of here soon." As I said this, I noticed a frown forming on my sister's normally perky face.

"Yea, Bells, I'm really gonna miss you. Make sure to at least text me once in a while, okay?" She walked over and slid her slender arms around my waist. I may have been five years older, but she was only an inch or two shorter than my 5'5".

I slid my arms around her shoulders, "You know I will. We're two halves of a pretty funky whole," I said with a chuckle. "So, what were you asking me?"

"Oh!" She looked up at me, releasing me from our hug, "Mom wants to know where you're going from here."

"I was planning on going to Jessica's grad party. Want to come with?" Jessica Stanley and I were friends in elementary school. When we entered sixth grade and boys started noticing her…charms…she decided that plain, boring Bella was no longer cool enough to be seen with. Now that I was smack dab in the middle of gossip constantly, she had decided I was cool enough to be seen at her party. After all, Jess would come out looking like a saint for inviting the school outcast and her little sister to her graduation party. Not to mention that she was always interested in the latest gossip and I knew that she hoped to glean information out of me.

Bree pondered the situation for a moment before asking, "Will Crowley's little brother be there? Cause if he is…"

"No," I quickly interrupted her, "after he went home with a black eye and had to explain to his mother how he got it, Mrs. Crowley promptly grounded him. Tyler said that she said something about knowing what it's like to be talked about and spreading rumors and all that. He won't bother you anymore." The Crowley's were the only black family in our small hick town. They knew what it was like to have people suddenly shut up when you walked in a room.

"Good. Then I guess we can go find Mom and be on our way!" She grabbed my hand and pulled me through the masses until we got to Renee's car.

"Oh sweetie, you looked so grown up out there! My Bella, salutatorian! I'm so proud of you, sweetheart!" my mother gushed, while wiping tears from her eyes and crushing me in a tight hug.

"Thanks Mom, but I need to breathe."

Renee let me go, but held my hand. She wasn't at all pleased that I was leaving and moving so far away. But I turned eighteen last September, and there wasn't really anything she could do to stop me.

"I was going to go to Jessica Stanley's graduation party. Mind if Bree comes too?"

Renee looked surprised. She knew I'd had a falling out with Jessica, but decided not to question it."Uh…sure honey. But you two be careful. No drinking, drugs, or sex. Hear me, Bella?" Renee shot me a pointed look.

"Sure sure, Mom. I'll behave. Scout's honor." I held up two fingers like the Girl Scouts do. "I'll be on my best behavior."

"Well, keep an eye on Bree, too. I know you are good girls, but I also know what goes on at parties like that. Watch yourselves, okay?"

"Yes Mom," Bree and I said in bored unison, then started giggling like goofballs.

Jessica's party was well underway by the time Bree and I got there. When we walked in, I could feel the stares of my classmates upon us. Every now and then I'd hear my, Bree, or Phil's name whispered on the lips of the already inebriated party goers. I had a small circle of friends who knew the truth about Phil's situation, the rest were off feeding the rumor mill. Some said that I had walked in on him doing drugs. Others said that he was in the Witness Protection Program and that I had found out. Some even said that he had hit me, Bree, or my mother. The rumors that pissed me off the most were the ones implying he had done something inappropriate with either Bree or me. What Phil did was undeniably embarrassing, but he wasn't like _that._ The more logical rumors floating around were that I had caught him having an affair with another woman, or that I had caught him with a _man. _

That one was almost true.

Bree heard the whispering and shuddered a bit. Her reputation had been almost completely obliterated in this whole mess, and most of her so-called friends had deserted her, not wanting to be swept up in all the gossip that now surrounded us both. She'd had a harder time than I had adjusting to life as a teenage outcast because she had always been popular and well loved, no questions asked. I had always been on the fringe of all the ridiculous teenage cliques and was used to things being said about my quiet, slightly introverted demeanor. I only let my true self show to the people I was closest to.

Shaking off the sudden tension in her small frame, Bree squared her shoulders and held her head high as she walked by my side into the kitchen. Once we got a good look around, it was obvious this was a stereotypical high school party.

_What did Jess do? Watch every teenage-themed movie from 1980 on up and try to recreate it? Spare me!_

On the island in the kitchen were several alcohol bottles of various shapes, sizes, and colors. A beer keg sat next to the island, and there was another by the patio doors leading out into her back yard. I assumed that if I cared to go look, there would probably be another keg outside as well. Red plastic cups littered the island, counter top, and there were even some on the floor. Pizza boxes, both full and empty, were littered around the counter tops. Bags of snacks were everywhere, as well.

I grabbed a couple cups and opened the refrigerator door. Thankfully, there was diet coke in there, as I had no desire to drink and then attempt to drive Bree and myself home. Pouring a glass for me, I turned around and asked Bree if she wanted any as well. Nodding in the affirmative, I poured hers too, and she took it and disappeared out into the back yard. I took mine and headed into Jessica's living room.

I walked in to find loud music, couples either dancing or making out in various places, and the occasional smell of marijuana floating through the air. I circulated through the crowd. I'd known most of these kids my whole life, but really wasn't too sad about leaving them. The one person in school I considered a close friend was Angela, and she never came to these things. I guess that was why she was valedictorian, and I was one step behind.

"Beeellllaaaaa," a slurred voice said behind me. The smell of cheap, stale beer wafted past my nostrils and I had to fight not to gag.

"What the hell do you want, Newton?" I asked tersely.

I really couldn't stand Mike Newton. So I made out with him a few times, but ever since then he followed me around like a lost puppy. Even after I was labeled "unfit" to hang out with, Newton was still barking up my tree. I was about to house break this dog if he didn't chill.

"C-c-can't I jussst come and s-s-see my best girrrrl?"

God, I was really going to slug him if he didn't get away.

"Newton, I'm going to give you three seconds to get as far away from me as possible. And if you aren't at least an arm's length away in that time, I will drop kick your ass right out of this room. Got it?"

A look of shock, then fear, then amusement crossed his drunken face.

"Bellla, you couldn't kick my ass with your ssssister's help."

I let out a long frustrated sigh. "One…Newton, you better go," I warned dejectedly. The asshole just stood there, swaying, grinning at me.

"Two…Mike, I'm serious, I will kick your ass!"I warned again, my voice slightly raised. Now I was really getting pissed. It didn't look like he was going to move.

"Three! That's it, fucker! You're dead!"

Mike stood there looking at me like he was about to enjoy this, but he would soon find out he was in for a world of pain. Did he forget that my father was a cop and my step-father was a wrestling coach? After yelling at him, I reached up and put him in a headlock under my right arm.

"C'mon Belly Bell, is that all you've got?" he choked out.

I wasn't amused with him testing me, so I tightened my right arm while swinging my right leg under his, knocking him to the ground. I sat my knees on his chest and held his arms down with my own, while he wheezed, begging me to let him up.

"Bella! Let me up, damnit! I can't breathe!" Mike choked out.

"Are you going to fucking leave me alone, Newton?"

"YES! Now please, let me up!" Pitying the poor slob and realizing we had drawn a crowd and that his embarrassment was enough payback, I climbed off his chest. When I stood, I extended my hand to help him up.

"Whoa, Bells, you really kicked Newton's ass!" Bree exclaimed, while reaching up for a high-five. Slapping my sister's hand, I told her it was probably time to go. I had to leave in three days and still had packing to do.

As Bree and I climbed into my old Chevy pick-up truck, a wave of sadness hit me. This was probably the last time she and I would be able to hang out at a party like this for quite some time. On Tuesday, I was set to leave for UCLA, where I would study in Literature with a minor in Education. Yeah, I was planning on being a teacher when I grew up.

I spent the rest of my weekend packing and hanging out with Bree, careful to dodge Phil whenever he was home. Things between us were still strained, and I didn't want my last few days at home to be filled with angry fighting.

Tuesday finally came, and Renee and Bree were loading up my truck with what I would take on the plane. The rest was being shipped to the apartment I found on the internet. Thankfully, I was able to find someone who was in need of a sub-let, and after several phone calls and emails with the woman, Rosalie, I decided to rent with her. She had a place not too far from campus, in Santa Monica, and said she might even be able to help me get a job. She sounded really nice. Or maybe she was just desperate for a roommate. I wasn't sure. But I wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth, either.

I stood in front of the house that I had called home for as long as I could remember for the last time. With a shaky voice, Renee told me it was time to go. The airport in Indianapolis was a little over an hour away, and she didn't want to risk getting stuck in traffic and making me miss my flight. On the way down to Indy, Bree, Renee and I chit chatted about my plans for the future, reminisced on things of the past, and just generally had a nice time. Before I knew it, Renee was pulling up to the arrivals dock at the airport.

"Do you need help pulling these bags in? I could do a lap around the parking lot and Bree could give you a hand," Renee asked, her voice thick with unshed tears

"Nah, I got them, Mom. Thanks, though."

Renee and Bree got out of the truck and gave me tight hugs. I felt a lump growing in my throat, but I wouldn't cry in front of them. While this was my choice, it didn't mean I wasn't going to miss my mother and sister.

"Please make sure to call us when you land so we know you're okay. Don't forget!" Bree demanded, while wiping tears from her cheeks.

"I will, sis. I love you. And if you need anything, no matter what time, call me, alright? I might be three-thousand miles away, but I'm still your big sister."

Bree sniffled and smiled. "Don't worry, Bells; I'll always call you first."

With that, Renee got into my old truck and drove away. They were keeping my truck for Bree to drive in a couple years. I sighed and looked at the line at the check-in desk. It looked like I would have to wait for a little bit. I put my ear buds in and pressed shuffle on my iPod.

I got through five songs before it was finally my turn. Handing the airline agent my ID and flight information, she checked me in, gathered my luggage, and sent me through security. After waiting about forty-five minutes, I boarded my plane and settled into my first-class seat. I decided that if I had a four-and-a-half hour flight, I was going to be comfortable. And due to the money Phil's parents sent me for graduation, I was able to afford it. I settled in to my seat and prepared to doze off.

I awoke to the flight attendant telling me we were on final approach, and that I needed to set my seat up and put my seat belt back on. I looked out the window to see Los Angeles sprawling out below us. I was here, finally! I was nervous about whether or not I would recognize Rosalie, but I didn't want to think about that right now.

As I disembarked from the plane and rode the escalator down to the baggage claim, I noticed a striking, slender blonde holding a sign that said "Swan." I walked over to the statuesque blonde and asked if she was Rosalie.

"Yes! Are you Bella? Oh, I'm so excited you're here! Was your flight good? Let's go over and get your bags," Rosalie rambled, while leading me over to the baggage claim carousels.

I was a bit surprised by her enthusiasm, but mustered a smile and tried to remember all the questions she asked me.

"Yes, I'm Bella. The flight was nice. I slept the whole time," I told her.

"Wow, you slept the whole way?" Rosalie asked, "I can never sleep on flights. The constant hum gets on my nerves. It's not too far of a drive home. Want to stop and get something to eat now, or wait until we get there?"

"Um, how long is the drive?" I asked warily. I hadn't thought to check before I left.

"It's not long, about an hour or so with traffic," Rosalie said.

"That's not too far, but I am kinda hungry," I admitted. As I said this, my stomach decided to make itself known, loudly.

Rosalie just chuckled. "Once we get out of airport traffic, we'll stop somewhere."

We grabbed my bags and walked to Rosalie's car, which was parked in the garage. We loaded them into the trunk and back seat of her bright red Chrysler Sebring convertible. Rosalie turned to me. "Top up or down?" she asked with a smile.

"Oh God, down, please!" I replied excitedly.

"Okay, girl, you might want to put that hair in a pony tail, though. It's about to get windy."

With a chuckle, I put my hair up and settled into my seat. Rosalie turned the radio on and we cruised out of LAX. Looking around like new tourist, I took in all the sights that were stereotypical California; palm trees, sunshine, and lots of traffic. I leaned back in the seat, worn out from my trip and smiled.

With each exhale of my breath, I let Indiana leave my body, filling my lungs instead with the warm, California air. Out with the old, stale life, and in with the new. This was a beginning, a new chance to live the life I wanted, and I wasn't going to waste a single second.

Yeah, I was definitely going to love California.


	2. Chapter 2  Day One

**FIXED A TYPO! SORRY IF IT APPEARS THIS CHAPTER WAS UPDATED AGAIN! BUT YOU'RE WELCOME TO READ IT AS MANY TIMES AS YOU'D LIKE ;) **

**A/N: _I want to thank everyone for being so patient with me. Twilighted accepted the story, so i've been working with the wonderful betas at Project Team Beta to tweak this story and make it much more enjoyable to read! I hope you agree!_**

**_I want to thank yellowjello113 and woodlily at PTB for beta'ing this chapter for me! ***sorry i messed up the spelling, ladies!***  
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**_As always, I don't own anything referenced to Twilight. I just have a shit ton of debt. ;)_**

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Chapter 2 – Day One

BPOV

**May 2008**

"Bella. BELLA! _BELLLAAA!" _I heard Rosalie shriek from the seat next to me. I opened my eyes and groggily looked around, trying to remember where I was. Oh yeah, I was in Rosalie's car. In California. Sweet!

"Sorry, Rosalie. I didn't even realize I fell asleep." I sat up and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. "Why did we stop?"

"I have to pee and I'm starving! Plus, your phone's been ringing off the hook for the last fifteen minutes. I figured since the display said 'Renee' and 'Sis', you should probably get up and call them back, hmm?"

I sat straight up in the seat, suddenly quite awake. "SHIT! I forgot to call my mom when I landed! She's probably freaking out. I'm surprised she hasn't sent California Highway Patrol out looking for me already!" I said only half-jokingly.

"There were a couple calls from 'Charlie' too. Who's that, your boyfriend?" Rosalie asked, wiggling her eyebrows and giving me a goofy grin.

I had to chuckle at her antics. "No, Charlie's my dad. I suppose he's worried too. I guess I should call them all so they don't freak out too much."

Rosalie chuckled. "Sure. You'll probably want some privacy, so I'm gonna duck in here and pee, and then we're off to find food. Sound good?"

At that, my stomach gurgled, answering for me. We both laughed. "Sounds pretty damn good to me!" I told her. Rosalie nodded and went into the gas station.

I pulled my phone out and noticed twelve missed calls, three from Bree, seven from Renee, and two from Charlie. I dialed Renee's number and only had to wait about a half of a ring before she answered.

"Isabella Marie Swan! Where in the hell have you been? Your sister and I were worried sick! Are you okay? Did your new roommate pick you up or did you have to find a cab? Was your flight good? Did you see any celebrities at the airport?" Renee rambled.

_I had better end this or she'll go all day!_

"MOM! Take a breath! Now, where is Bree? I want to tell her about my flight, too."

"She got tired of waiting around for your call so she went out with some kids from school. It's nice to see her hanging out with friends again, you know?"

"Friends?" I asked. "What friends?" To my knowledge, most of Bree's friends had abandoned her. But then again, it was summer break now. Maybe her shallow friends would allow her to hang out with them, as long as they weren't seen.

_Bitches!_

"Oh, um, that Riley kid that used to play baseball and some of his friends. You remember him, don't you? His older brother, James, used to wrestle for Phil. Anyway, I think the girl's name was Victoria or something. They left about ten minutes ago," Renee answered.

"Riley?" I asked racking my brain to put a name to the face. I suddenly remembered who Riley was. His brother, James, used to be a decent kid, but over the last couple of years he got into drugs and trouble quite often. This did not make me happy.

"Wait…you're letting her hang out with Riley _Biers?" _I asked disbelievingly.

"Yes, why? Is that a problem, Isabella?" Renee scoffed with a bit of bite in her tone. She didn't like it when I questioned her authority.

"Just…be careful of him. He and his friends are a little shady, and James is definitely a troublemaker. I don't want Bree getting into trouble with them."

I made a mental note to ask my dad to look up their records later. I know he isn't really allowed to do that, but I hoped he would slide the rules for me.

"You're just being overprotective," Renee admonished. "Riley never gave Phil any trouble when he played in Little League, and James has never been anything but respectful to us all. And besides, it's good that Bree is making friends again. But of course, I'll keep my eyes peeled. Now, tell me about your trip!"

"Mom, James is the least respectful person I know!" I yelled into the phone.

"Bella, I'm not about to have you telling me how to raise my child! Now are you or are you not going to tell me about your trip?" she asked impatiently.

I sighed into the phone. "Dad's called a couple times too. If it's okay with you, I'm going to put you on three-way so that I only have to go into detail once."

"Yes, dear, just hurry!" Renee urged eagerly.

I rolled my eyes and dialed my dad's number.

"Oh, hey Bells. What's happening? How was the flight?" Charlie asked, trying to sound nonchalant and hide the fact that he was sitting by the phone. I rolled my eyes again and let out a small laugh.

"I'm good, Dad. I have you on three-way with Mom so I can do all this at once. Is that okay?"

I could hear the smile in my dad's voice as he replied, "Sure Bells. That makes sense, I suppose."

He still held a candle for my mom. Poor guy.

"Hello, Renee, how've you been?" my dad asked gruffly.

"We've been fine, thanks. Bella…?"

"Oh, well, the flight was good," I began. "I slept the whole way through it. Flying first class was a great idea, by the way." Renee had said it was a waste of money. I now begged to differ.

"When I got off the plane, Rosalie, my new roommate, was waiting for me at baggage claim. She's really great; I think you both will like her. It's about an hour or so drive to our apartment, depending on traffic, but we just stopped so we can eat. Sorry I didn't call sooner, but I dozed off again in the car. Does that answer all your questions now?" I took a deep breath. I had rambled in an attempt to keep Renee from interrupting.

Apparently, it worked. The line was silent. Then Charlie spoke up.

"Well, I'm glad you made it okay. I was worried about you traveling so far by yourself."

I sighed into the phone. When would they learn I'm not five anymore? Charlie must have heard me because he said, "Yes, I know you're eighteen, almost nineteen, but you'll always be my little girl. I've seen firsthand what happens sometimes, so I worry. At least I care, right?"

"Yes, I'm glad you both care; just don't worry yourselves too much. I'll be fine. Look, Rosalie's coming back. I'll call you guys later, okay?"

I was _really_ getting tired of this conversation.

"Sure, sweetie," Renee said. "And don't forget, you can call anytime for any reason. Time difference be damned, alright?"

"Yes Mom, I know. Thanks. I really need to go now. I love you both. I'll call in a day or two."

"Okay, well just be careful down there. You know, gangs and all that. Take care. Bye, Bells," Charlie said.

He never was good at emotional moments and I could already hear Renee starting to sob on the other end. After he hung up, my mother unleashed the tears she was holding back.

"I still can't believe you chose to move so far away to go to school. And to _California!_ I just wish you would have stayed here and gone to Purdue," she said.

"Mom, we aren't having this discussion again. Now really, I need to go. Rosalie's back and we need to figure out where we're going to eat. I love you. Talk to you later, okay?"

I didn't want Rosalie to see me argue with my mother, yet again, over my choice of school. I'd like her to get to know me before I let her see the craziness that was truly my life.

Renee sniffed. "Okay. Give Bree a call, please. Love you, Bella. Bye." With that, she hung up.

I stared at my phone and for a brief moment and wondered whether or not I'd made the right choice. I also wondered why the hell Bree was hanging out with Riley and his low-life friends. But I wasn't about to second-guess myself. This is what _I _wanted, that's all that mattered to me right now. As for Bree, she could form her own opinions about people and make the right choice…I hoped.

Rosalie's voice tore me from my musings. "Okay, let's get this show on the road! What sounds good? You aren't a vegetarian are you? I mean, if you are, it's okay…"

"No, Rosalie," I interrupted. "I'm quite the carnivore. No worries."

Rosalie chuckled. "Okay, good. Now, where to?" she asked.

"Shit, Rosalie, I don't know! Surprise me!"

She sat and thought for a moment. "Do you like American knock off of Mexican? There's a _Del Taco _not too far from here."

"Sounds good to me. Tacos ahoy!" I said happily.

"Oh," Rosalie said, starting the car, "You don't have to call me Rosalie. Only my mother calls me that and my brother when he's being dramatic. Rose is fine," she said with a smile.

"Duly noted. So where _is_ your brother?" I asked as we pulled out of the gas station. Rose had mentioned her twin brother quite a bit to me. "You made it sound like you're pretty close; I assumed he would have been living with you."

"Yeah, well, Jasper's decided to move to Chicago. He's been talking a lot lately about some girl he met in a coffee shop. Apparently she has the same taste in literature that he does. Anyway, they've been seeing each other for over a month now and he really seems to like her. I haven't met her yet, so he's trying to get her out here sometime before she starts school in the fall," Rose said.

"Hey!" she said turning to me. "She has a brother! Maybe they can bring him out here too? Maybe get you hooked up…" she said with a sly smile.

I laughed. "Why not get _you _hooked up?"

"Ohhh no," Rose sang. "Not me! I just got out of a shitty relationship. I'm not about to start another one any time soon. That's why I have room in my condo. I was living with my boyfriend, Royce. But I came home one day to find him banging some chick on my kitchen counter. I kicked his ass out and got new counter tops. I'm done for now," Rose said with a bit of pain in her voice. I was instantly sorry I had asked.

"Sorry to have brought that up. I didn't realize…" I said, looking down at my lap.

"Don't worry about it," she assured me. "I should have told you sooner. It's really not a big deal. I think we both kind of knew it was over, but it was just easier to stay, you know?"

I did know. After the crap stunt Phil pulled, I was sure Renee would leave him. Sometimes I wondered if she stayed out of convenience instead of love. I couldn't be sure, though.

"Yeah, I know," I said quietly.

Suddenly the car was filled with awkward silence. I searched my brain for a change of subject. Finally, I remembered I would have to pay rent and didn't have a job.

"So, you said you might be able to help me get a job?" I asked hopefully.

"Yeah! I almost forgot," Rose replied animatedly. "I know a woman who owns a karaoke bar not too far from our place. It's close to campus, so she gets mainly the college crowd and it's a waitress job, but they sometimes make the waitresses sing if the crowd seems too timid. Think you'd like something like that?"

The idea of working in a karaoke bar _did_ sound fun. I wasn't the worst singer in the world, but wasn't that the point of places like that, to have fun and not to try to be the next Whitney Houston? Although I wasn't thrilled about being the center of attention, if all the waitresses had to do it too, it might not be so bad. Then I remembered I was underage. Crap!

"You _do _realize I'm only eighteen, right?" I asked.

"It's no problem, Bella. California law says you can serve at age eighteen, you just can't drink," Rose informed me.

I mulled it over for a few minutes as Rose drove quietly down the highway, allowing me to think. As she signaled to get off the highway, I decided I'd just jump in with two feet. I came out here to break out of the "Old Bella." Working in a karaoke bar would help me do just that.

As she pulled into the parking lot of _Del Taco _I informed her that I would, in fact, really like to meet her friend. She said that she would call her tomorrow and set up a time for me to meet her.

After eating and getting back into the car to drive down the freeway a bit longer, we pulled in to a large apartment building in Santa Monica. It was stunning! It had four floors, large windows, and a balcony on every floor. I just stood there with my jaw slacked open, gaping at the beautiful building before me.

Rose noticed my gawking and snickered. "Beautiful, isn't it?" she asked.

"Rose, it's amazing! How on earth are can you afford to sub-let for only two-hundred dollars a month? To be honest, I expected a dump," I admitted sheepishly.

"C'mon, let's get your bags upstairs then I'll explain."

We grabbed my bags and headed into the lobby. Rose stopped when we came across the door man. He was a tall, lean man, with a rather dark complexion.

"Bella, this is Laurent. Laurent, this is my new roomie, Bella," Rose announced.

I stepped forward and reached my hand to his. "Nice to meet you," I said a little shyly. He was somewhat intimidating.

"The pleasure is all mine," he crooned with a slight French accent to his voice. "Anything you need, just ring me and I can assist you."

"Thanks," I said as I felt the creeping heat of a blush make its way up my neck, "I'll be sure to remember that."

"I'm going to get Bella's bags up to the apartment, and then I'll be back down for my car, is that okay?" Rose asked.

"Of course, Ms. Hale," Laurent replied.

Rose led us to the elevator and pressed the button for the third floor. We stepped out into the hallway and followed it to the end. "I have the corner apartment," she said proudly. "It has the best view."

She opened the door with a flourish. "Welcome to _Casa de Hale y Swan_," she announced proudly. "There's also a fitness room and pool downstairs, but we can go see that later."

I dropped my bags at the door and took a minute to look around. The foyer opened into a large, very well decorated, living/dining area. The walls were painted a warm toffee color and had a couple of paintings and pictures on the walls. The dining room table had a glass top and iron legs. The six chairs around it were iron with wood seats, with cream and blue stripped cushions. The living room was painted a shade lighter than the dining room and had a large, comfortable looking off-white sofa, loveseat, and an armchair with a footstool. There was a large flat screen TV mounted on the wall to my right and surround speakers and a very nice stereo system sitting under the TV. To the immediate left was a decent sized kitchen with a half-wall and bar stools around it. Forward and slightly to the right were the French doors leading to the balcony, which housed an iron bistro table, two iron chairs, and a small closed-in fire pit.

"The master bedroom, mine, is straight through there," Rose said pointing to her closed door off to the left of the balcony, "and this right here is your room. It has its own bathroom, so we don't have to worry about who's hogging what in the morning. Nice, huh?" she asked.

I walked to the door she pointed to and was even more stunned by what I saw. It was the only undecorated room in the house, but it was quite large, with a cushion-less window seat that was painted black and had two drawers under it. The walls were painted a similar color as the living room, and there was nothing but a bed in the middle of the room and another flat screen mounted on the wall across from it.

I walked in admiring the room. "Wow Rose, this is really nice." My voice was barely a whisper.

"Well, you can decorate it however you want once your stuff comes in. I wasn't sure if you were shipping your bed or not, so I went ahead and put new sheets on that one. It's a full-size bed, but if you need bigger, we can get rid of that one," Rose said.

"I actually didn't ship my bed. My mother thought it'd be best to keep it there for when I visit," I told her.

"That's fine. This bed is new, anyway. This was the guest room when Royce was here and God only knows what he did on it when I wasn't home. Along with new counter tops, I got all new mattresses and had the furniture in the living room fully cleaned," she said with a bitter laugh.

Rose walked over to the closet doors and she set the bag down she had been carrying. "Well, this is obviously the closet. It's smaller than mine, so if you need to borrow some closet space, don't be afraid to ask."

"Holy shit, Rose! I think this is bigger than my bedroom back home!" I exclaimed, gawking at the enormous closet. It really was huge; I could actually walk around in it!

Rose looked totally shocked. "You mean…Okay, how big _was _your closet back home?"

I laughed at the bewildered look on her face. "Rose, I'm not really a clothes whore, you know? I just recycle the stuff I'm partial to."

"Well, we're going to change that. Oh my God, we should go shopping soon! I'd love to get you into some cute little outfits. Maybe some dresses even," she said.

My stomach turned a bit.

"Rose, I don't know," I fretted. "I don't want to impose. Once I get a job, I can start slowly building up my California wardrobe. Besides, like I said, I'm not really the fashionista type."

"Nonsense. I never had a younger sister, so this should be fun!" Rose exclaimed happily.

"You know, Rose, you're only three years older than I am," I reminded her.

She laughed. "Details, details. Okay, I need to move my car. Are you okay up here for a few minutes?" she asked.

"Yep, super," I assured her.

"Good. Make yourself at home and I'll be back in a few minutes."

With that she twirled around and left the room. I heard the front door shut softly and sat down on the bed just taking everything in.

After a few moments, I went back into the living room to retrieve the rest of my bags. Since my dressers wouldn't arrive until tomorrow, I put my bags in the closet. I'd worry about unpacking what I could later.

I was standing on the balcony when Rose returned.

"So," she said. "I suppose you're wondering how a twenty-one-year-old can afford a place like this, aren't you?" she asked from inside the living room.

"I hadn't really given it much thought," I answered honestly.

She sat on the couch, and I came in and sat down across from her on the loveseat.

"My maternal grandfather owned an oil company in Texas," she began. "When he passed on, I was four at the time, he left money to all his children and some in trust for his grandchildren. Jazz and I both got a portion released to us when we turned eighteen, and we'll get the rest when we turn twenty-five. Jasper went to college in Texas for a year, but decided that he really didn't like it there. He found a college he thought he liked in Chicago and moved up there. Like I said earlier, he found who he refers to as his 'soul mate' in Chicago, so I doubt he'll move west anytime soon."

"What's the matter, you don't believe him?" I asked curiously.

"No, I believe him. He's had several girlfriends over the years, but I've never heard him talk about anybody like that. I hope, for his sake, that she is 'the one'."

Now I was even more curious about Rosalie. What had brought her from Texas to California? As if sensing what I was about to ask, she continued on with her story.

"I moved here right out of high school, convinced that I would be a model."

I would believe that. Rosalie was tall, slender, blonde, with perky breasts, and was just well – perfect.

"So it _didn't _work out?" I asked, rather shocked.

"I quickly discovered that if you want to break into modeling, they want you nude. That's the quick way, anyway. I was _not _about to pose nude for anyone." She huffed, "So it's been a slow process. I was on a couple of billboards, a commercial for a local boutique, and I showed up to a _lot _of open casting calls. I also did some shots for a surfing company out here. But I have certain standards, and I refuse to budge on them. I won't become anorexic, get a boob job or have Botox injected into my lips. So for now, I just try to do what I can and hope that someday someone will notice me." she said.

I was stunned. How could someone _not _notice Rosalie Hale? She had the stereotypical model look. I guess I was more clueless about the modeling world than I thought.

"So," Rose said turning the conversation to me "I never really asked what brought you out here, other than college. What's your story, missy?" she asked, getting up to go to the kitchen. "Do you want anything while I'm up?"

"Something with caffeine, please," I answered.

"Is Diet Coke okay?" she asked.

"Works for me," I replied. "So there's really nothing to tell. Just wanted to come to the Golden State and be one of the beautiful people, I guess."

"I'm sorry, but I think that's total bullshit, and I'm calling you on it," she said with a smirk while handing me a can of Diet Coke.

I let out a small nervous laugh. "Okay, maybe that wasn't the full reason. But it certainly was a factor. Really, I just wanted to get as far away from my small town and all the crap that came with it. California is as far away as I could think that was still warm, sunny, and within the continental United States," I replied.

"You didn't like it at home?" she asked, genuinely curious.

"Yes and no," I replied.

I debated telling her about the situation with Phil, but again, didn't want to dump all my craziness on her in one day.

"It's just with a small town, everyone's business is everyone's business. You can't sneeze without someone across town yelling, 'God Bless You'. I got sick of that kind of crap. I wanted to go somewhere where I could just be Bella and have zero expectations on who that should be. My whole life I've had to be a good girl, so I didn't embarrass my parents. My father is a cop in Washington State, Phoenix before that. My mother is a first-grade teacher at the elementary school I went to, and her husband, Phil, coached several sports as well as a gym teacher until last year. Anytime I stepped out of line, even a little, I got the whole 'don't embarrass us where we work' speech. Out here, I can do what I want and only have to worry about embarrassing myself. And you," I admitted.

"Oh honey, you don't have to worry about embarrassing me." Rosalie laughed. "I don't ruffle easily!"

I considered telling her about Phil, but again, decided not to.

Maybe in a few days…or weeks…or months… but not now.

She looked at me expectedly, but I shrugged and took a drink of my Diet Coke instead.

"Well," she said, getting up off the couch, "I'm tired and I'm sure you are too. I'm gonna turn in. If you need anything, just holler. I'll call my friend tomorrow, and we'll set up a time for her to talk to you about the waitress job."

"Thanks, Rose. I think I'm going to head to bed soon, too."

"Okay, goodnight Bella," she called from her bedroom door.

"Goodnight, Rose," I said from the couch.

I watched her close the door, and I moved to the balcony. Closing the doors behind me, I took out the pack of cigarettes I had stashed in my back pocket. Pulling one out and lighting it, I sat down on one of the iron chairs and took in the city for a moment. A soft breeze blew across me, and I inhaled deeply. A small smile played across my lips. For the first time in a long time, I felt at ease. No one knew me here. No one knew of the embarrassment I had to endure back home, and hopefully, they never would. I wasn't 'Bella with the weird ass stepdad' out here. I was just Bella, and that thought sent a wave a peace right through me.

Tomorrow Rose would contact her friend about getting me a job, and in a few weeks, I'd be starting at UCLA. Life was finally falling into place for me.

I entered my bedroom. Looking around, I was slightly saddened by how bare it was. Hopefully my things would be here tomorrow as the moving company had promised.

After a quick shower, I dressed for bed. I pulled my iPod alarm clock out of one of my suitcases and set it on the table next to the bed. As the soothing sounds of Jeff Buckley drifted from the speakers, I thought about calling Bree. A quick glance at the clock informed me that was probably a bad idea. There was a three-hour time difference between here and home, and she was probably asleep.

I plugged my cell phone charger in and laid the phone on the table next to my alarm clock and lay down in my new bed, under my new sheets, in my new home. With the window opened slightly and a soft, warm, breeze flowing into the room, I snuggled down deeper into the crisp sheets and felt sleep start to over take me. A smile flittered across my face as one last thought seeped into my consciousness before I finally succumbed to sleep:

This was a perfect end to my first day in California.

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_**Thanks for reading! Review, if you feel the urge to do so! If not, then i'll see you next time! **_


	3. Chapter 3  Beefcakes and Job Interviews

**A/n: HOLY EFFING COW! The response from chapter 2 blew my freaking lid! Really, i thank all of you from the bottom of my heart for reading and reviewing! **

**I want to thank _Woodlily_ and _DutchessDeeDee _at Project Team Beta for beta'ing this chapter. I'm sure Woodlily wants to kill me right now, all the coma mistakes i made and all. But i thank her dearly! (I DO read every comment and try to do better each chapter. But feel free to throw things lol)**

**When I was originally writing this chapter (like 3 months or so ago), I couldn't come up with a name for the bar Bella was going to apply at. Not wanting to name it after a real one, and possibly getting myself into copyright trouble, I enlisted the help of my sister. Her boyfriend, Mark, came up with the name. I thought it fitting. You'll see it later on in this chapter.**

_**No, I don't own anything in the Twilight universe. SM does, and quite frankly, I'm a bit jealous of that! haha!**_

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Chapter 3 – Beefcakes and Job interviews

BPOV

I awoke the next morning to several very loud male voices coming from the living room of my new apartment.

"Shh- guys!" Rose hissed. "You're going to wake Bella!"

Clad in an old pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt, I dragged my tired ass into the living room.

"Too late, I'm already up," I said sleepily, plopping down on the couch.

It was then that I noticed where the noise had been coming from. Four good looking, tanned men were sitting on the couch and lingering around the apartment.

_Perfect, the cover models for Chippendales were in my home and I looked like a train wreck!_

Rose chose that moment to make introductions.

"Bella, these are my boys. Boys, this is my Bella," she stated from the kitchen.

A round of "hellos" came from around the room.

Rose pointed to the guy sitting to my right. "That's my main man, Jacob."

Even through his t-shirt and board shorts you could tell he was muscular. He had short, black hair, dark eyes and tanned skin. He looked Native American or Hawaiian, or something.

"Hi," he said in a low voice. I nodded at him.

"The tall, goofy one over there is Quil," Jacob told me as he pointed to another man standing on the balcony, smoking a cigarette. He was of similar build, only not as muscular or tall, and he had shoulder-length dark hair.

"That's Sam." Jacob pointed to the man sitting on the floor playing a video game with the sound off. He appeared that he might taller than either Jacob or Quil. The scowl on his face as he turned to grunt his greeting at me, quite frankly, scared me a bit. He looked really pissed off for some reason.

"Sam comes off as a dick"- Jacob whispered in my ear- "but he really is a decent guy once you get to know him."

I turned and cupped my mouth, trying to avoid killing Jacob with my deathly morning breath and whispered back, "Thanks. I'll try to remember that as he haunts my nightmares tonight."

Jacob let out a deep laugh as another guy jumped over the back of the couch and landed on Jacob and me with his legs in my lap and his head in Jacob's.

"I'm Embry!" he exclaimed proudly, leaning up and planting a sloppy wet kiss on my cheek.

"Oh my God, Embry! No kissing the roommate!" Rose shrieked from her post in the kitchen.

I laughed. "It's okay Rose. I'll get him back one of these days," I said, punching his arm.

It felt _really _good to be so easily accepted again - yet, another perk of being somewhere where no one knew about my past.

"What are calendar boys doing here anyway? Shouldn't they be posing in their boxer briefs somewhere?" I asked.

"These pretty boys are here to help us move your stuff in today!" Rose declared, with an air to her voice that sounded like it should have been obvious to me.

"Oh, thanks, guys." I could feel the creeping heat of a blush starting on my neck. "I was wondering if Rose and I were strong enough."

I went into the kitchen. "Where did you find these beefcakes, anyway?" I whispered to Rose.

Rose chuckled and leaned in to whisper back. "Jake and I were on a shoot a while back for the surfing company I told you about last night. He's from Hawaii, and so are some of the other guys. They've all been friends for years. I called him to ask for reinforcements after you told me your stuff was coming today. Besides, I figured we needed some eye candy too," she said, with a wink.

"Mm-hmm," I answered, grinning slyly.

"So, what's for breakfast?" I asked.

"I, my dear, am _not _a cook," Rose informed me. "I burn water, darlin'."

"Ain't that the truth?" Jacob asked from the couch. "Ask her about the time she cooked me chicken," he tattled, laughing and ducking the apple Rose heaved at his head.

"Yummy. Thanks for the apple, Rose," he teased, taking a large bite of it and sitting back down on the couch.

"You burn one chicken one time, and _he_"—she pointed to Jacob - "never lets you live it down!" Rose huffed.

I just stood there giggling, loving the playful banter between the friends. The lighthearted teasing reminded me of my friend, Emmett, back home.

_I really should call him soon._

After searching Rose's cabinets, I quickly realized that she wasn't kidding when she said she wasn't a cook. There wasn't much to work with at all. So, after making a list of things I would need to buy, and soon, I dug up enough ingredients to make pancakes for everyone.

As we ate, the guys filled me in with stories about things they had done together over the years. Sam managed to crack a smile or two, and I started to see what Jacob meant earlier about letting him grow on me.

Rose and Jacob seemed to be in a war over who could embarrass the other more. Quite honestly, I thought Rose won with her story about Jacob sunbathing nude and getting sun-burned on his…nether regions.

I hadn't laughed so hard in a long time. I missed the days back home when we would sit around the table at night and talk about the day. Phil's stories were usually the most amusing, but things being as tense as they were, I rarely sat in a room with him long enough to even say hello, let alone hear about his day.

After breakfast, Jacob and Embry played a video game. Rose insisted on clearing the table and doing the dishes since I had cooked. Sam helped her. As the two got to work, I slipped out on to the balcony for quick smoke. I wasn't surprised to find Quil out there once again. As I sat down on the empty chair, I realized I had forgotten my lighter.

"Can I borrow your lighter?" I asked Quil.

"Sure," he said as he slid it across the table to me. "So, Rose said you're going to UCLA in the fall - what's your major?" he asked.

"I'm majoring in Literature with a minor in Education," I told him.

"Ahh, so you want to be an English teacher when you grow up," he stated, rather than asked.

"Yep," I said, popping the "p".

"An English teacher?" he smirked. "So you'll get a summer vacation and you know what life means, then?"

I gasped, totally stunned.

"_You _know _Bye Bye Birdie_?" I asked, astonished.

He chuckled. "Why yes ma'am I do. You happen to be looking at _Conrad Birdie _himself, summer theatre camp, class of 2001," he told me proudly.

"Wow! So, um…theatre camp…" I trailed.

"I know what you're getting at. And no, I'm _not _gay," he said pointedly at me.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have assumed…"

_And, cue the raging blush!_

"It's no big deal, Bella. Hey," he said, placing a finger under my chin and raising my face to meet his. "I'm not offended. I get that a lot. I used to have high hopes of being in musical theatre. Gene Kelly was my idol growing up. Sleek, sexy, and a total ladies man. I quickly discovered, though, that men in theatre are often gay, but there are many straight men, too. I just really enjoy it, that's all."

"So did you go to college, or just hang out in summer camps?" I asked.

"No, I went to college. I graduated last year from Cerritos College with a degree in Theatre Arts."

"So, you're not a model?" I asked.

"Nope. I met Jacob, surfing, not too long after I moved here from Calabasas. We've been friends ever since," he told me, snuffing his cigarette out and throwing it into the fire pit.

"If you ever need anything, just let me know. Even if you just need someone to hang out with. Rose has my number, feel free to call anytime. If I'm not working, I can be here in a heartbeat," he said with a strange look on his face.

_Shit! Is he hitting on me?_

"Okay, I'll do that," I responded, snuffing my own cigarette out.

I went back in the house and entered my bedroom to get dressed. I quickly grabbed a t-shirt and jeans out of my suitcase and headed for the bathroom. I emerged a few minutes later, hair up in a pony tail and teeth freshly brushed.

As I was about to exit my room, I glanced down at my phone. No missed calls or text messages. I quickly dialed Bree's number, but it went straight to voice mail, so I called Renee instead.

"Hey Bella," she said, groggily. "Everything okay?"

"Everything's fine, Mom, I was just trying to get a hold of Bree. Her phone went straight to voice mail," I told her.

"Probably because she's asleep, dear," she said, yawning. "It's her summer vacation, sweetie."

"I know; I was just hoping to talk to her. Can you tell her to call me later, please?" I asked.

"Sure, sweetie. We'll call later. Bye," she said, hanging up on me.

Man, she must have been tired to not want to talk my ear off!

I slid my phone in my pocket and rejoined the others in the living room.

* * *

About an hour later, Laurent called up to the apartment to let us know the movers had arrived.

Jacob and his friends were quite helpful by bringing in my dressers, bookshelf, and the heaviest of the boxes. They helped me move the bed in my room and arrange everything where it needed to be. Rose and I carried the lighter boxes up and stacked them in my room and in the living room to go through later. When we were all finished we all sat around in the living room resting.

"I really want to thank you all for helping me today. I really appreciate it," I told the guys, genuinely.

"It's no problem, Belly," Jake said, yanking the end of my ponytail.

When I heard the nickname Jacob had started calling me earlier, I flinched slightly. I really hated that nickname.

_Why does everyone always want to call me that?_

"Well, how about going and getting some lunch?" Quil asked.

"Always thinking about food, huh Quil?" Sam joked. Quil just blushed and smiled.

"I'm kind of tired. I think I'm just going to shower and put my things away," I said.

"I'll stay too," Rose said. "You guys go ahead."

"Okay, we're outta here then," Jacob said, getting off the couch and moving to the door. "If you ladies need anything else, spider killed, light bulb changed…" he said, flashing us a million dollar smile.

Rose let out a small laugh and rolled her eyes. "No thanks, Jake, that's why I rent. I have someone else to change the bulbs for me."

The guys all said their goodbyes and I got up off the couch, heading for my room. Quil stopped me on my way by lightly grabbing my shoulder and saying quietly, "Don't forget what I said earlier. I'd like to hang out, okay?"

I nodded and smiled at him and he followed the guys into the hallway, shutting the door quietly behind him.

I still had the feeling he was trying to hit on me, but I pushed those thoughts to the back of my brain. More than likely, he was just a nice guy and I was over - thinking things.

"Okay, the shower is seriously calling me. I'll be out in a little bit," I told Rose.

"Take your time, honey," she called from the kitchen.

I closed the door to my room, grabbed my robe off of an open box, and headed for the shower. I turned the water on and waited for it to warm up while peeling my sweaty clothes off. I got in and stood under the warm spray.

About thirty minutes later, I exited the shower clean and shaved. I changed into my clean clothes and combed my hair, leaving it down, and letting it dry naturally. When I went back out to the living room, Rose was watching some property-flipping show on HGTV. She looked up at me and smiled.

"Feel better?" she asked.

"Much," I replied while flopping down on the big comfy chair next to the couch.

"I got a call from my friend, Irina, while you were in the shower. She owns the karaoke bar I told you about yesterday. She said we can go down and meet her later this afternoon, if you're feeling up to it," Rose said.

"Sounds good. Do I need to dress up or anything? I don't know what she's expecting," I told Rose while looking down at my khaki capri pants and red v-neck t-shirt.

"Nah, what you're wearing is fine. It's pretty laid back there. She likes to keep the atmosphere comfortable, but professional," Rose assured me.

"Okay."

* * *

Later that afternoon, after Rose and I ate the pizza she ordered, we unpacked some of my things. Rose put herself in charge of unpacking my clothes, and declared my wardrobe unfit, demanding a shopping trip _soon_. Around six o'clock, we piled into to her beautiful red convertible and went down to _The Sing-a-Ling_, Irina's bar.

It was near Campus, as Rose said, and building had a large green and pink neon sign with the name above the door. It was a one-story, unassuming, brick building.

I didn't know what I expected it to look like inside, but I loved it instantly. When I entered, I noticed a long bar with several stools in front of it. It had a long mirror behind it, and was lined with bottles of alcohol. Along the far wall, was a stage with a microphone, and two television monitors. On the floor in front of the stage was a speaker. There was a projection screen TV on the wall behind the stage currently playing ESPN, but I assumed that was where they also displayed the song lyrics. To the right of the stage was a DJ booth. In front of the stage was a dance floor lined with tables. There were more tables scattered around the floor, and booths lined up against the other walls.

All the square tables in the bar had a small candle on the table, which wasn't currently lit, and four dark wood chairs. The walls were all painted black, and had pictures of various places on campus, as well as pictures of famous singers.

Down a small hallway to our right was another room with a couple of pool tables and electric dart boards. There were three booths lining the wall opposite the dart boards, and a jukebox in the corner.

The whole place was artfully decorated and seemed appropriate for a college crowd.

Rose nudged me, and I turned to see a woman standing beside her who was about her height, with chin length silvery blonde hair and grey eyes. She slim and beautifully tanned.

"Hello, Bella," she said. "I'm Irina." She reached out to shake my hand.

"Bella Swan," I said. "I really love your bar. I haven't been in a karaoke bar before, so I wasn't sure what to expect."

Irina smiled and looked around. "I've changed it a few times over the years, but I think it suits the college crowd, don't you think?"

I nodded.

"So, shall we get all the interview formalities out of the way?" Irina asked.

"Sure. But I have to warn you, I've never worked as a waitress before. The only jobs I've ever had were shops in the mall - retail," I told her.

Irina led us to a booth along the wall. She offered us drinks; Rose ordered an ice tea while I ordered a Diet Coke. When Irina returned with our drinks, she got down to business.

"So, Bella," she began, "normally I'd ask about experience and why you came to seek employment here, but I already know the answers to these questions. Plus, a recommendation from a good friend like Rosalie goes a long way with me. The truth is, it's not hard to pick up being a waitress here, as long as you can handle drunken college students. They are our main clientele, and sometimes they get a bit rowdy. The registers are touch screen and they're pretty easy to manage. The registers are mainly used by the bartenders, or if a customer is running a tab with a credit or debit card. We don't have a kitchen here, but there are bags of chips and a small pizza oven behind the bar. Since you're only eighteen, you can't go back there; someone else would have to do that for you. How does this sound to you?" Irina asked.

"It sounds pretty straight forward," I told her. "But, Rose mentioned that you ask waitresses to sing sometimes, too. I can do that, but I can't promise you won't lose your hearing afterwards."

Irina chuckled. "Bella, dear, singing in a karaoke bar isn't about being the best. It's about having fun and just letting go. Yes, I ask the waitresses to sing, but only if the crowd seems too timid or needs pumping up. And you can refuse; it's not a requirement. DJ Felix is good at getting the crowd going when he notices they're dying down."

"Well, I've sung in front of others before. Backyard campfires mostly," I told her. "Is there anything else you need to know about me? Are you sure me being only eighteen isn't going to be too much of a problem?"

"Your age is not a problem at all. You're not the first employee I've had that was under twenty-one. If any of the staff blow you any crap about needing assistance to go behind the bar, let me know immediately. I don't tolerate bullying in my bar." Irina said.

She leaned back in her seat and studied a piece of paper in her hands. "Could you start Monday?" she asked.

"Oh my God, _yes_!" I squealed.

She laughed. "Okay, be here at two-o'clock, and I'll start your training. Monday's aren't very busy, and I may have you work a couple more days next week. Maybe you two can come by sometime this weekend so you can see what the weekend crowd is like. I'll give your names to the doorman so he doesn't deny you entry or charge you the cover charge. For now, you can fill out all the legal mumbo jumbo and schedule availability, and we'll get you all set up in the system. Are you planning to start college in the fall?" she asked.

"Yes, UCLA," I answered.

"Okay, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. When you come in on Monday, dress casual, but not too casual. I'd prefer slacks, but I can let that slide for now since you're just starting. No t-shirts or tank tops, though. Also, I'll show you on Monday where and how to clock in."

"Sounds great!" I said, excitedly.

I filled out the forms, noticing that people were starting to file in. I glanced down at my phone and saw that it was now almost eight-o'clock. I hadn't realized that we had been chatting with Irina for so long.

After a little while, she came to our table and collected the forms from me, and Rose got up, announcing that she had to use the restroom. While she was gone, DJ Felix came over the speakers, announcing that he was getting the singing underway and that anyone who wanted to sing needed to fill a slip out and bring it to him. Not feeling confident enough to get up yet, I just sat in my seat sipping my Diet Coke and taking in the scenery.

Rose came back and sat down, a knowing smile on her face.

"What's the smile for?" I asked her.

"Nothing. I just put a song in that's going to make you laugh your ass off."

"You're going to sing?" I asked, somewhat shocked. I didn't know Rose could sing.

"Sure, why not? When in Rome, right?" she smirked, shrugging.

"I'm not going to get in trouble for still being in here, am I?" I asked, worriedly.

"Nah," Rose said. "I highly doubt anyone will ask, and just to be safe, sit here with me and drink your Coke. Irina knows you're here, so it's not a big deal. Truth be told, underage college kids wander in here all the time. As long as they don't try to order alcohol or cause a scene, Irina lets them stay awhile," she informed me.

I nodded.

A few people got up to sing. After a rowdy rendition of Bon Jovi's, _Living on a Prayer _from a blonde man who looked to be in his mid-twenties, Rose's name came up.

"Come up and sit in front of the stage. I need to see your face for this," she said, grabbing me by the hand and pulling me to the front of the room.

I looked at the screen and let out a huge laugh. "Really, Rose? _Like A Virgin_?" I asked in disbelief.

"Damn right!" she exclaimed proudly.

When the chorus came up, I found myself singing along with her from my seat.

_Like a virgin_

_Touched for the very first time_

_Like a virgin_

_When your heart beats next to mine_

Without even realizing it, I got up and started dancing. Rose looked right at me, singing and dancing, as well. Again, I found myself singing along with her.

We both were laughing by the end of the song and it donned on me that I hadn't had that much care-free fun in a while. It reminded of me of when I was younger and my mom would play records while we cleaned the house on Saturdays. We used to dance and sing to Whitney Houston and Foreigner while dusting and vacuuming.

When the song was over, a round of applause erupted, and Rose did a little bow. Cat-calls and whistles came from a table of men sitting a few feet behind us.

"That was great Rose!" I said while heading back to our table.

"Thanks. Madonna is timeless. Besides, it gets the boys all rowdy."

As Rose said that, I peeked at the table of guys openly ogling her. I had to laugh; the poor guys were powerless against Rose's charms.

When we were almost back to our table, I heard my name being called over the speakers.

"What the hell? Are they calling for _me?"_ I asked Rose.

"Yeah, I put a song in for you," she said, a sly grin on her face.

"Ugh, I don't know if I'm ready," I whined.

"Too late. Get your skinny ass up there," Rose commanded.

"I don't even know if you picked a song I know!" I all but yelled.

"Bullshit, I wouldn't do that to you, Bells. I've heard you singing this song quite a few times since you got here. I _know _you know this one."

As I walked back up to the stage, I racked my brain, trying to remember what playlist I'd been listening to on my iPod. _Crap! _It was my "Bree" playlist, and it had some pretty goofy songs on it. She'd made it for me before I moved as something to remember her by.

I got to the microphone and looked at the monitor. My heart sank when I saw that Rose had picked _Epiphany _by Staind_. _This really wasn't a song that I wanted to sing in front of strangers. While I'd played it countless times on my guitar for my sister, it was personal for us; I never sang it in public. I couldn't guarantee I wouldn't tear up.

I really hoped I didn't.

I took a deep breath, and with shaky hands and eyes closed started to sing timidly.

_Your words to me just a whisper  
Your face is so unclear  
I try to pay attention  
Your words just disappear oh oh_

I took a deep breath and steeled my nerves for the chorus, singing more strongly than previously.

'_Cause it's always raining in my head  
Forget all the things I should have said_

I opened my eyes and looked around. Irina was behind the bar watching me, Rose had moved to where I had been seated, in front of the stage, and the table of guys had stopped their conversation and were watching me closely.

_So I speak to you in riddles  
'Cause my words get in my way  
I smoke the whole thing to my head  
And feel it wash away  
'Cause I can't take anymore of this  
I want to come apart  
Or dig myself a little hole  
Inside your precious heart_

_'Cause it's always raining in my head  
Forget all the things I should have said_

The next verse always choked me up, and this time was no different. It made me think of my little sister who seemed so strong on the outside, but I knew was really just a softy at heart. She had dubbed this "her song" after the embarrassment Phil thrust upon our family, and I knew that many nights she cried herself to sleep at the loss of the perfect family she thought we used to be. I swallowed the lump down my throat and continued singing.

_I am nothing more than  
A little boy inside  
That cries out for attention  
Yet I always try to hide  
'Cause I talk to you like children  
Though I don't know how I feel  
But I know I'll do the right thing  
If the right thing is revealed oh, oh _

_'Cause it's always raining in my head  
Forget all the things I should have said_

I stood there as the song came to a close, fighting my emotions. I would _not _cry here, in front of my new boss and a room full of strangers.

The room erupted with applause, and I smiled weakly as I left the stage. I sat down at our table feeling numb. I hadn't realized I had listened to it so much since arriving in California, and I suddenly really missed Bree.

"That was fucking amazing, Bella," Rose complimented. "You really nailed it! I don't think you sang it with that much emotion when you were at home. Hey, are you ok?" she asked, noticing the far off look in my face.

"Yeah, I'm just tired. It's been a long day. Think we could head out soon?" I asked.

Rose looked like she wanted to say something, but decided against it.

"Sure, Bella. Let's go," she said, grabbing her purse and getting out of the booth.

With a quick wave to Irina from both of us, we exited the bar.

I followed Rose out to her car while pressing two on my cell phone, Bree's speed dial number. It went straight to voicemail again;

"_Hey! You've reached Bree Dwyer. If I'm not answering, it's' cause I'm busy. Leave a message and I just might call ya back!" _Bree's cheery voice rang into my ear.

"Hey sis, it's Bella. I hadn't talked to you since I left, so I just wanted to catch up. Call me back when you get a sec, don't worry about the time difference. I miss you. Love you."

I hung up the phone and sat down in the passenger seat of the car.

Rose stared at me for a minute then asked, "Hey, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. That song is kind of my sister's song - long story. It just got me thinking about stuff," I answered.

"Want to talk about it?" she asked, sympathetically.

"Not really. Not right now," I answered, dejectedly.

She just nodded and started the car.

I stared out the window thinking about Bree the whole ride back to the apartment. Rose dropped me off at the front door and went around to park in the underground garage.

I walked through the lobby and waved to Laurent. I boarded the elevator and pressed the button for the third floor. As the doors slid shut, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw a text message from Bree:

_At a party. Kinda loud. Call ya back when I get home. Love u and miss u! –Bree_

I sighed loudly. Always the social butterfly, my sister. Even as the whole town tried to ostracize us, Bree always tried to have fun. I was glad she was out with her friends, though I was really worried that she was out with Riley and his crew again. I was worried that she would be lonely without me, but apparently I'd worried for nothing. In reality, I was the lonely one. Bree was my rock, and I hadn't realized that until now. I guess I was always so busy trying to make sure she was okay, that I hadn't thought about myself much. Thank God I had Rose to keep me busy now.

The elevator stopped on our floor. I walked slowly down the hall, lost in thoughts about my sister and my life in general. So much had changed in the past year.

I unlocked the door and entered the apartment. I didn't bother turning the lights on; the city lights coming through the open windows were enough for me to see my way to my bedroom door.

I was so inside my head as I headed towards my bedroom that I didn't even notice there was someone else lurking inside the apartment.

* * *

**EEEKKK! a cliffie! don't throw things at me, please! :)**

** The karaoke bar décor is loosely based on my favorite bar here in Lafayette called Cox's Pub. It was the only one here in town, until it burnt down a couple months ago. I'm still grieving lol.**

**come play with me on Twitter! seriously, i'm an addict! camdengirl09 please tell me you come from FFN so that i don't block you in some weird fit of paranoid rage. thanks! :)**

**Till next time... **


	4. Chapter 4 Strangers In My House

Hello again! *waves* How's everyone? Good, I hope! :)

So, here's chapter 4. It's a tiny cliffie, then next chapter you WILL find out what happened with Phil. PROMISE! Please read the notes at the end of the chapter for more info!

**** Kudos to the reviewer who guessed who was in the apartment. I wasn't brilliant enough to write your name down before I posted this, but you know who you are and you ROCK!**

Thanks to Dinx and Marlena516 at PTB for working on this chapter. I just want to say that i read, read, and re-read this chapter probably 500 times debating what i wanted to say in it. Thanks ladies for picking up my goofy mistakes from all the re-editing! I was pleased to see few notes...until i got to page 15! LOL (yes people, this a monster, long ass chapter! 19 pages in MS word!)

****There's a hint to Phil's "issue" toward the end of this chapter. Can you find it? ;)**

Anwayway, i don't own Twilight or any songs ever refernced in this story. I just own one hell of a music collection!

On with the show!

* * *

Chapter 4 – Strangers in My House

**BPOV**

As I went to throw my keys down in the bowl on the kitchen counter, I heard a noise coming from my bedroom. Knowing that Rose was still downstairs parking the car, and only she and I lived here, I was instantly scared. Adrenaline started pumping through my body, and my heart was beating so hard, I could hear it in my ears.

With my hands starting to shake a bit from nerves, I looked around to see what I could grab to halt the intruder, but I couldn't find anything.

_Why doesn't Rose have a butcher block filled with knives like they do in the movies? Thank God Phil and Charlie taught me some self- defense moves!_

Slowly, I crept toward my bedroom door. I kicked off my shoes and walked softly on the balls of my feet, hoping I was being quiet enough to startle the intruder, thus gaining an edge. I pushed my bedroom door open slowly, praying that it wouldn't squeak. I saw that the bathroom light was on and the door was slightly ajar.

Inhaling cautiously, I realized it smelled like someone had showered recently. I briefly wondered who the hell broke into an apartment to shower. Pushing the thoughts from my brain, I continued to creep slowly into the bathroom. As soon as I got to the door, it opened, and I lunged at the intruder with all my might.

Noticing briefly that the man seemed rather tall, I sent a split - second prayer to whoever above that I was strong enough to take this guy down. I pulled my right fist back as far as I could and landed a hard punch into the intruder's stomach. When he doubled over, I swung my right leg under him and knocked him to the ground. I momentarily thought I heard a woman screaming. Not really caring where the screaming was coming from, I rolled the unknown man on to his back and straddled his chest, pinning his shoulders down with my knees. It was then I heard Rose shouting at me.

"Bella! What the _fuck_? What's all the screaming about?" she yelled worriedly, running into my room.

When she came in, our eyes locked, and I saw several emotions fly across her stunning face: worry, shock, anger… _recognition?_

"Bella, why the _fuck_ are you sitting on my _brother_? And why are you _naked_, Jasper?" she shrieked.

It was then that I looked down and noticed the man I had attacked, and was sitting on, was completely soaking wet and _naked_, and that the source of the screaming was a woman behind me in the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel.

"Rose, you _know _this guy?" I asked, letting a little of my weight up from his shoulders.

I felt a blush starting to creep up my neck. Attacking Rose's brother wasn't the best way to endear myself to her. But when I looked up at Rose, I saw she had her hand over her mouth, trying to contain her laughter.

Assuming that the coast was clear, I stood up and released the man. I was completely embarrassed, but _very_ happy I had subdued someone I thought was an intruder.

"Yes, that's my brother, Jasper. Jasper, this is my new roommate, Bella," she said, bursting out in another fit of laughter.

Jasper stood up and cupped his manhood with both hands. He was quite tall and lean, with sandy blond hair, and gray eyes that matched Rosalie's.

"I'd shake your hand, but um, yeah…" he said, looking at the floor and blushing profusely. I could hear more of a southern drawl to his voice than what Rose's had.

"What the hell is going on here?" the small woman in my bathroom screamed, her chest heaving with panicked breaths.

Finally standing up, I turned to look at her. She was shorter than me, maybe five feet tall on a good day, with short dark hair, piercing blue eyes, and pale skin. She was so petite, she reminded me of a dark - haired, soaking wet, Tinker Bell.

My face still flaming red in embarrassment, and my hands still slightly shaking from the adrenaline rush, I explained the situation to everyone.

"I came in and thought someone had broken in. When I saw Jasper come out of the bathroom, I just sprang on him. Sorry if I hurt you, man. I didn't know…" I admitted, staring at my hands.

Rosalie was gasping, trying to contain her laughter and talk at the same time. "Oh. My. God, Bella! You seriously kicked his ass! That's so awesome!" she exclaimed in between breaths.

"Yeah, well, I had good teachers," I mumbled, not wanting to make eye contact with the still very naked Jasper.

Regaining some composure, Rosalie instructed the pair to get dressed and headed out into the living room. I followed her out and sunk into the couch, praying it would swallow me whole into its soft cushions and save me from the embarrassment I had just caused.

"Rose, I am _so _sorry. I didn't even know it was Jasper. I just acted on impulse," I wailed into my hands, covering my face.

"I think it's pretty amazing, really. I would have frozen had I thought someone was in here. You're going to have to show me how to do that shit sometime!" Rose exclaimed.

I peeked between my fingers to see Rose looking at me with a mixture of awe and pride on her face. She wasn't joking. Even though I had just attacked her brother, she really _was _impressed with my grace under pressure.

_Hmm, who knew I was so bad- ass?_

"I should be the one apologizing, though, Bella," Rose said sincerely. "I didn't know he was coming and completely forgot he has a key."'

"It's fine. I'm just glad no one is hurt too badly," I said with a laugh.

"Nah, Jasper's a tough guy. He'll be fine," Rose affirmed, giving a small laugh of her own.

"I don't know, I think I might have a broken rib," Jasper whined, with a wink, exiting my bedroom with the short, dark haired woman at his side.

Clad in low-slung gray sweat pants and a green t-shirt, Jasper sat down in the chair by the couch and the woman sat down in his lap.

"I really _am_ sorry," I insisted. "I just sprang. Are you okay?" I asked Jasper, blushing again.

"My gut might be a little sore in the morning, but I'm fine. You hit rather hard for being so small," Jasper said, rubbing his stomach and winking at me. "Where'd you learn to hit like that, anyway?"

"My dad is a cop and my step-dad was a wrestling coach," I told him, rolling my eyes at the thought of Phil's situation. "They both always preach to my sister and me how important it is 'for a young woman to be prepared."

"I'm Alice Cullen, by the way," the dark-haired woman on Jasper's lap said.

"Bella Swan," I said. "I'm Rose's new roommate."

"So this is Alice, huh?" Rose asked. "Well, I had this whole interrogation planned out to totally fuck with you, but given Bad Ass Bella's attack, I don't think that's necessary now," she pouted.

I think Rosalie really _did _want to give the poor sprite a hard time.

"Jazz said that I should expect that much," Alice affirmed. "I was expecting the Spanish Inquisition."

"So," Rose started, leaning towards Jasper and Alice a little. "Did you bring your brother with you?" she asked, shifting her eyes toward me.

I groaned internally.

"No, Emo Edward is off, God only knows where. He and his high school sweetheart, and 'love of his life', Tanya," she said, rolling her eyes, "broke up right before the term ended for summer break. Apparently, she was a bigger slut than I thought and Edward _caught _her screwing some other guy; like, _walked in on them _right in the middle of it!" she recalled in disbelief. "So, he broke it off, pulled a shitload of money out of his savings account, and has been out now for the last couple of weeks. He calls every now and then so that our mother won't worry too much, but he never says where he is. At least, not to me. I think my mom knows where he is because she doesn't seem as concerned as I'd expect her to be. But considering his passport is still in his room, I doubt he's left the country. Quite honestly, I'm glad he finally dumped her! She was a nasty bitch and I was terrified that she would end up being the mother of my nieces or nephews someday!"

The relief was evident on her face. She _really _didn't like this Tanya girl.

"Oh, that's a shame. Bella could have used the company," Rose said, wiggling her eyebrows.

"No thanks, Rose. I just got here, I don't need a man so soon," I stated more confidently than I felt.

Truth was, I really_ did_ want a boyfriend and all the good and bad that came with it. It was so hard to date back home because of how well known Phil was, for good and bad reasons. I just wanted someone's strong arms to hold me. Hopefully, I'd meet someone soon…

Shaking the wistful thoughts from my head, I looked over to Jasper and asked, "Hey, Jasper, what were you two doing in _my _bathroom, anyway?"

That thought had been nagging at me since I found out it was Jasper, and not some random stranger in our home.

"Last time I was here, that was the spare room. I used to crash there. I completely forgot that Rose had mentioned getting a roommate, and when I came in and saw all your stuff, I figured it would be okay. I really am sorry to have assumed that." Jasper answered, looking sincere.

_Poor guy probably thinks I'm some sort of Uber-Bitch now. Gah! Not what I needed the brother of my roommate to think! _

"No, it's really okay," I assured him. "I was just wondering. Feel free to use it whenever you need. You too, Alice. In fact, if you want, I'll take the couch while you're here so you two can have the bed. I've been assured it's a brand new mattress," I said, sending a smirk in Rose's direction.

"No, no, that's quite okay, Bella," Jasper drawled, "I'd never ask you to do that. This is your home now, and I refuse to take your bed. Alice and I can get a hotel room if need be."

"Bullshit," Rose huffed, "you know I have that queen-sized air mattress, and I _know_ you know how comfy it is. You bought it for me during that last camping trip we went on, remember?" she asked.

"Oh yeah, I remember that!" Jasper said excitedly, shaking his head and laughing slightly. "Rose, Royce, and I went up to Big Bear, and the princess over here," he said, jerking his thumb to Rose, "refused to sleep on the ground. Royce refused, so I had to go get an air mattress from a sporting goods store. But then it started to rain and somehow the tent had a small tear in the bottom and my sleeping bag got all wet. Rose let me sleep on the mattress with her, which really pissed off Royce."

"Well, he shouldn't have called me a spoiled brat, now should he?" Rose said with a devilish smirk playing on her lips. "Jasper and I slept like babies and Royce slept in a soggy sleeping bag!"

A short while later, Jasper, Alice, Rose, and I ordered in some Chinese and sat around telling random stories about our friends and family.

I learned about how Rose was always a spoiled brat, according to Jasper, and how many of Rose's friends often thought Jasper was gay when they were in high school because, even though he'd had several girlfriends, he had only slept with one of them. Jasper scoffed at that, stating that he felt no reason to sleep around just because all the other guys did it.

Alice told us about growing up in Chicago, and a winter when they were snowed in for three days. I could relate because I grew up not far from there, but Jasper and Rose acted like they should have called in the National Guard. That made both Alice and me laugh; they really didn't understand Midwest winters. I told them about Bree and our close bond, and how my friend Emmett was nearly like an older brother.

"Emmett is two years older than me and started wrestling for my step-dad when he was six, in the summer league. His father was killed in a car wreck the year before, and his mother wanted him to have some male bonding, "I told them. "By the time I was in the sixth grade, he was screening the boys that approached me and scaring off all the rest. It was nearly impossible for me to date in school because Em was scaring the shit out of all the boys! I didn't have a real boyfriend until my sophomore year, and he was from another school. It was _horrible._ But I love Emmett dearly, and wouldn't trade him for anything in the world."

"That's awesome you had him around," Alice said. "Edward wasn't scary like that too often, but if guys broke my heart, they often were seen shortly after with either a black eye or a split lip. Every time I asked him about it, he'd just smirk and swear he knew nothing about it."

"Nice to know," Jasper interjected. "I kicked a few asses for Rose, too. If I ever see Royce again, you can bet he'll regret it. My father might have been absent quite often in our lives due to his job, but one thing he drilled into my head was to always treat women with respect. No respect was shown to my sister and he _will _pay for that."

"Aww, thanks Big Brother," Rose crooned, blowing him a kiss. We all laughed at her theatrics, glad she'd manage to lift the tension Jasper had caused.

I leaned back into the couch and yawned. Peeking at the clock on the microwave, and seeing that it was almost twelve thirty, I decided it was time for bed.

"Okay guys," I said, rising from the couch, "you can continue down memory lane, but I gotta go to bed. Between moving all my stuff in, the job interview, and kicking Jasper's ass, I'm completely beat. Alice, Jasper, it was nice meeting you. I assume you'll be here when I get up in the morning?" I asked over my shoulder, heading toward my room.

"Yes ma'am," Jasper replied. "Sweet dreams."

"Night, Bella," Rose and Alice said almost in unison.

"Night, all," I said over my shoulder as I entered my room.

I quickly stripped down, threw my pj's on, and brushed my teeth. I sat my iPod in the dock for the alarm clock and fell asleep quickly to Chopin's _Nocturnes_.

* * *

I was awoken the next day by the smell of cooking bacon and fresh coffee. I rolled over and squinted at the clock.

_Eight o'clock, wonderful!_

I had intended on rolling over and getting a couple more hours of sleep until my stomach growled at me.

_Damn traitorous stomach! _

I sighed and rolled over and grabbed my cell phone off the night stand. No new messages.

_Why the hell hasn't Bree called or sent a text? Ugh!_

I set my feet on the floor and stretched. I got up and threw my unruly hair into a messy bun and grabbed my robe off the back of the door, flinging it on and slipping my cell in the front pocket.

Rubbing the sleep out of my eyes and opening my bedroom door, I sleepily announced to whoever was cooking that they were now my new best friend.

Jasper gave a small chuckle. "Glad you like me so much, Bella, but don't compliment me until you taste it. It doesn't always taste as good as it smells," he said, leaning over the counter and scanning the newspaper.

I sat down at one of the bar stools next to Alice. "Good morning," I mumbled. "Did you and Jasper sleep alright?"

I still felt a bit guilty for making them sleep on the air mattress.

"Yeah, that thing is actually pretty damn comfortable!" Alice replied perkily.

I flinched. It was far too early for little pixies to be chirping in my ear.

I stood and went around the island to the coffee pot on the counter, and prayed Rose had flavored creamer somewhere. I really hated the bitter taste of coffee, but desperately needed the caffeine.

I opened the cupboard above my head and grabbed a cup, pouring the hot brown liquid into it. I added two spoonfuls of sugar, opened the refrigerator and did an internal happy dance when I saw the hazelnut creamer in the door. Pouring the sweet smelling liquid in to my cup, I grabbed a spoon out of the drawer and stirred my coffee, staring off into space.

"What are ya thinking about?" Alice asked.

Sighing, I went and sat down on the stool next to her.

"How much has changed in the last few days. A few weeks ago, I was sitting in English class right about now, counting the last few days down to graduation. Now, I'm sitting at this counter, in Santa Monica, waiting on my _roommate's_ brother to finish fixing breakfast. Next week I'll go to my job, in a _bar_… it's just a lot to take in, that's all." I laid my forehead on top of my hands on the counter. "On top of it all, I can't get a hold of my damn sister, and we _never _go this long without talking," I mumbled.

Alice laid a comforting hand on my back. "When I moved out and started my freshman year of college, I was completely overwhelmed. I was terrified I wouldn't wake up for class on time, or that I'd get lost on campus. Luckily, Edward was far more disciplined than I was. He made sure I was up every day and had coffee ready when I rolled my sorry ass out of bed. I don't know how I would have managed those first few months without him," she admitted.

"Edward's your older brother, right?" I asked, sitting up and facing her.

Alice smiled. "Yeah, he's only eighteen months older than me. Guess mom and dad couldn't keep their hands off each other," she joked, elbowing me lightly in the ribs.

"So, do you guys still live together?" I asked, leaning across the counter and pulling the sports page over to read.

"Yep! I almost moved out a couple of times, though; especially when he started talking about possibly moving Tanya in with us. There was no way in hell I was living under the same roof as that soul-sucking banshee!" Alice exclaimed, wrinkling her face.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you not to make faces like that or they'd stick?" Rose asked, shuffling into the kitchen and heading straight for the coffee pot.

"Well, good morning, sunshine," Jasper called, walking to the stove to poke at the bacon some more.

"You know I _hate_ when you call me that, jackass," Rose sneered in response.

Jasper reached over to her and planted a sloppy kiss on her right cheek.

"Eww! Dammit, Jasper!" Rose screamed, wiping off her cheek . "I'm going to get you back for that!"

Jasper just smiled and rolled his eyes as he took the bacon off the pan and set it on a plate next to him.

Rose rolled her eyes at her twin and sat down on the stool that was on the other side of Alice.

"So, what's on the agenda for today?" Alice asked.

"I was thinking of taking Bella out for some shopping and a makeover today," Rose said.

I almost spat out the coffee I had just sucked into my mouth at her announcement. Alice just started bouncing in her chair and asked excitedly if she could come, too.

"Sure," Rose said. "I got a look at her wardrobe yesterday and she definitely needs a new one!"

"Ohhh, no! I exclaimed, "I am not the spa and shopping kind of girl."

Ignoring my objection, and looking at me with a sharp eye, Alice told Rose that I needed a trim and maybe some highlights and layers in my hair. She and Rose then started talking about what they thought I would look cute in, completely forgetting I was sitting there.

"Hello, Earth to Rose and Alice. Did you not hear me? That's not really my thing. Besides, I really don't have the money for all that yet. Maybe in a few weeks…or you know, _never_," I said grumpily from my seat.

"Nonsense," Alice admonished, "We insist. Our treat, right Rose?"

"Right," Rose copied.

"I hate you guys, you know that, right?"

They both just smiled and went back to chatting about my makeover.

Jasper started setting plates in front of us with bacon, eggs, and toast.

_When did he make the eggs and toast? All I was focused on was the bacon!_

I looked to him with pleading eyes. "Help me, Jasper, _please_," I begged.

"Nope. I learned a long time ago it's best to let both Rose and Alice be when they get like that. Rose loves giving a good makeover, and Alice is the world's biggest shopaholic. Both of them have more than enough money to treat you to a nice day. Why don't you just let them?" he asked.

Good point. Why was I being such a pain in the ass? Why didn't I just suffer it? Maybe if I was with them all day, it would take my mind off the fact that my sister wasn't contacting me.

"Fine," I sighed, "you guys can take me out today. Just go easy on me, please, I'm not used to this."

"Oh, stop worrying, you'll be fine," Alice assured me.

For some reason, the gleam in her eye did anything _but_ placate me.

* * *

We finished eating and Jasper and I headed for the couch, while Alice and Rose went to peruse my wardrobe for anything they deemed unworthy.

Jasper had the remote and was flipping the channels as my phone rang.

"_I'm too sexy for my shirt, so sexy it hurts! And I'm too sexy for Milan too sexy for Milan  
New York and Japan! And I'm too sexy for your party, too sexy for your party, No way I'm disco dancing!_

Snickering at the look of shock on Jasper's face, I answered the call.

"Hey, Em! How the hell are ya, brother?" I asked excitedly.

"I'm good, sis, how's California treating you?"

"Good so far. I already got a job. You'll never guess where it is."

"Umm….is it a strip club?"

I rolled my eyes. Typical perverted Emmett. "No, a karaoke bar!"

"No shit? That's awesome, Bell! Aren't you too young to be in there, though?"

"Thanks. And no, you can work in a bar at eighteen out here. Oh hey, have you talked to Bree lately? I haven't talked to her since I got on the damn plane to come out here."

"Nah, but I saw her at Utopia last night eating with Riley and some of his friends."

"Ugh! I really don't like him. I have a bad feeling about her hanging out with him. Keep an eye on her a little for me, can you?"

"I'll try, but I'll be in the dorms this year, remember?"

"I forgot. So, how long until you start football training, anyway?" Emmett was on scholarship to wrestle and play football for Purdue. Last season he didn't get any game time with football, but he was hoping he would this year.

"In a few weeks. But you know me, I never stop."

"This is true. If you stopped going to the gym three times a week, I _would_ think there was something seriously wrong with you."

"Laugh it up, chuckles. You know you enjoy the gun show!"

I could just picture him kissing his biceps right then.

"So, how was your flight?"

"It was good. I took first class, like I said I would, and slept like a baby the whole way."

"I told you, you wouldn't regret it, didn't I?"Emmett asked smugly.

"Yeah, yeah, you were right," I said sarcastically.

"Wait, what was that? I couldn't hear you. Could you repeat that?"

"Nope," I said, popping the 'p', "you should have paid better attention."

"I was kidding, anyway," he laughed. "Sorry to cut this short, but I do have to go. I just wanted to check in with you to see that you made it alright."

"Thanks, Em. Yes, I'm here and everything's fine. I need to get ready to go, anyway. My roommate and her brother's girlfriend are taking me out for a torturous day of shopping and the spa!"

"Ha ha, good luck with that,"Emmett mocked. "Isn't that more of Bree's thing?"

I sighed heavily. "Yes, it is. If you don't hear from me in a couple of days, call the F.B.I."

"Will do. I'll make sure to call you tomorrow to see if you made it out alive."

"Thanks. It's good to know I can always count on you, Emmett," I said dryly.

"_That's what I'm here for! Take care, talk to ya soon."_

"Bye, Em."

"Bye, Bells."

I hung up the phone just as Rose and Alice came out of my room. They both looked like someone who had just witnessed a great tragedy. Rose was shaking her head and Alice looked stunned.

"Oh, give me a break, guys. It isn't _that _bad," I scoffed.

"Oh Bella, dear, don't they have fashion magazines, television or the internet in Indiana?" Rose asked.

"Of course we do! What kind of question is that?" I asked, irritation seeping into my voice.

"Then how in God's name can you ask that?" Alice nearly shrieked. I rolled my eyes. "Good thing we're having a fashion intervention today!"

"Seriously, can't you help me, Jasper?" I pleaded.

Alice shot him a pointed look, and he just shook his head. "No sense in fighting her, Bella. She'll win every time."

"Pussy," I muttered under my breath.

"What was that?" he asked.

"Nothing," I said, pulling myself up off of the couch. "I'm going to get dressed. That is, if there's anything left," I added dryly.

"We've chosen an outfit for you," Alice informed me.

_Wonderful, _I thought dryly, entering my room. Looking around, I noticed three large piles of clothes folded neatly on my window seat. The rejects, I supposed. I made a mental note to go through the piles later and pull out anything I couldn't part with.

_They won't have total control over my clothing options_.

I pulled on the dark blue, v-neck t-shirt and jeans they had left on my bed and ducked into the bathroom. Figuring that it was pointless to do anything with my hair or face today, I brushed my teeth and put on my favorite lip gloss. Taking one more glance in the mirror at my "before" look, I decided that some new clothes and a spa day couldn't be all _that _bad, not that I'd admit that to Alice or Rose. Taking a deep breath and sliding on my black ballet flats, I opened my bedroom door and entered the living room, joining the two women who would be using me as their science project for the day.

Looking at Rose's mischievous grin, and Alice nearly vibrating where she stood, I realized this was probably going to be a long day.

* * *

After Alice and Rose got ready for the day, and Jasper declared it a new land speed record (_only _forty-five minutes), the three of us loaded into the elevator at the end of the hallway.

"So," Alice said, turning toward me, "what's up with all the flannel and band t-shirts in your closet? You _do _realize there are more fashionable ways to stay warm, don't you?"

I huffed and rolled my eyes. I wasn't going to dignify that with an answer. So what if I was still mourning the loss of grunge rock? So what if I thought Eddie Vedder was a fricking genius? Flannel was warm and comfortable and I liked the way I looked in it.

But instead of saying any of that, I just stared at the button panel on the wall. Noticing my silence, Rose gave me a concerned look.

"You sure you want to do this, Bella? I promise it's not torture, and I really _can _afford to take my new friend out for the day."

I sighed. "Yes, I'm sorry. I don't mean to seem ungrateful," I said as the elevator dinged and we exited into the underground parking garage. Rose pointed to the right, and we followed her to her car.

"I really do appreciate what you two are doing. While I'm really not into shopping and spa days, I do have to admit that the idea sounds good right about now. And part of the reason I moved out here was to break out of my shell and start living life the way _I _want to. Some new clothes, a slight hair change, and some relaxation might just be what I need," I admitted.

When we got to Rose's car, I leaned the seat up so I could climb in the back, but Alice insisted I sit in the front. I sat down and dug my sunglasses out of my purse. Putting the top down, Rose started to back out of her parking space while Alice leaned up between the seats. I nearly jumped out of my skin when she started talking to me. I didn't even notice she was there! Damn sneaky pixie!

"So, what's the deal with your sister?" Alice asked.

"She hasn't called me since I got here, which is odd. I texted her last night, but she sent one back saying she was at a party. That in itself is unsettling, because she hasn't been invited to a party in months. So where was she? Then, this morning there still wasn't anything from her, but my friend Emmett said that he saw her last night with someone I specifically told her she was not allowed to be with. So now I'm not just hurt that she hasn't called, but pissed that she didn't listen to me, and worried about who she's hanging around with."

"Does she normally listen to you?" Alice asked. "Because I know that when Edward tries to give me a direct order, I do the exact opposite just to piss him off and show that even though he's my older brother, he can't boss me around. I have a father; I don't need two, you know? But if he asks me nicely, or even explains why he feels the way he does, I tend to listen."

I thought about what Alice said. Was Bree hanging out with Riley just because I told her not to? I hoped not. Riley's reputation, not to mention drug habit, was nearly as bad as his older brother's and _that _made me genuinely worried about Bree's safety.

"Yeah, she normally takes my advice," I said, turning toward Alice so she could hear me better. "But ever since…well, she's just been having problems with her friends. She used to be completely popular and now none of her friends want anything to do with her. Bree's social world crumbled and now she's hanging out with stoners and thieves. I'm really worried about her; she's my little sis, and I'm not there to protect her. It makes me nervous," I admitted, looking down at my lap.

I noticed that Alice quirked her eyebrow when I was stammering over my explanation. Hopefully she wasn't the type to pry too much.

"Maybe you should just have faith in her, Bella," Rose said. I almost forgot she was in the car, she'd been so quiet!

"I do have faith in _her, _Rose. It's the others I don't trust."

"I know saying this isn't going to help much, but you can't let yourself worry about it," Rose advised. "You're here, she's there. There isn't much you can do about it besides voice your fears and hope that she's bright enough to stay out of trouble."

Rose had a point. But she wasn't an older sister; she didn't understand. You couldn't just turn off your feelings. You can't just quit caring or trying to make things right just because there was physical distance between you and your sibling. As the oldest, it was my job to try to help guide Bree through life. What kind of sister would I have been if I just sat back and said nothing?

"But she's _thirteen, _guys! How in the hell am I supposed to turn my back, knowing what I know about those kids? And this Riley she's hanging out with - he's sixteen, has his own car, and smokes more pot than Bob Marley. That's not really someone I want my one and only sister running around with." I slammed back into my seat, breathing hard from my rant. I closed my eyes and tried to calm down.

"Sorry I yelled at you two," I said, my eyes still closed. "I'm just a little stressed about all of this and really would just feel a lot better if I could get a hold of her. We've been through a lot the last year or so, and I guess I didn't realize how crazy it would make me, being so far away and not being able to keep an eye on her myself ."

Rose pulled into a parking space on the side of the street and turned to me. Alice peeked at me again from between the car's seats. "Bella, there's really no need to apologize, right Alice?"

"Right," Alice replied.

"I consider you my friend now, Bella, and feel free to vent on me anytime. You can't keep that shit bottled up; it'll eat away at you until you explode," Rose said, leaning across the console and giving me a quick hug.

"Same goes for me, too, Bella," Alice said, hugging me as well. "I have a feeling the three of us are going to be very close friends."

I felt tears welling in my eyes. Even though I had considered Angela a friend, I wasn't very close to her. Not really. We went book shopping together, or studied together occasionally, but it wasn't like we spent Friday nights together, watching romantic comedies and eating popcorn. The only reason I had told her about Phil was because if I hadn't told someone, I felt like I was going to die. At the time I didn't want to tell Emmett, because I was afraid it would crush him - he held Phil on such a pedestal. Emmett was easily the closest friend I had, maybe my best friend, but he wasn't a girl. I had never had close girlfriends, just Bree. But it felt nice to be so readily accepted, and I wondered if they would be so accepting if they knew about Phil. I really hoped they would.

I pulled myself from my thoughts when I heard Rose saying my name. "Sorry, what was that, Rose?" I asked, feeling a creeping blush making its way up my neck.

"I said we're here." she said, smiling, and pointing behind me.

Turning around, I saw a sign on the building between a Starbucks and a vegan café that said Damien's Salon & Day Spa_. _

"Well, we're here quicker than I thought we would be," I said, getting out of the car and holding the seat for Alice again. She said a quick 'thank you' and Rose came around the car to slide quarters into the meter.

"Let's go, Damien doesn't like to be kept waiting. He's kind of a diva, but a _master _at what he does. He's the only one I trust to touch my hair," Rose said, walking up the sidewalk toward the salon. Alice and I followed her and a quiet ding was heard as she opened the door.

Upon entering, Rose went straight to the reception desk, and Alice and I stood looking around at the salon. It was quite bigger on the inside than it appeared from outside. High energy pop songs were coming from the speakers hung along the tops of the walls. The shop was two floors; the bottom floor had a very modern feel to it. In the front of the shop was a sitting area with a glass top coffee table that had hairstyle and gossip magazines littered on it. A black leather couch and two armchairs surrounded the coffee table.

Along the walls were pictures of various people of all ages (some were even celebrities!) smiling and usually paired with a dark-haired man, who I assumed was Damien. The floor had white and black tiles, and booths lined both walls with lights along the tops of the mirrors and black barber's chairs in front of them. Behind the booths, you could see the sinks for washing hair. Near the middle of the room were tables to get manicures. I wasn't sure what was upstairs, but I assumed that's where the spa services were provided.

"This place is a lot nicer than I expected it to be from the outside looks of it," Alice leaned over and whispered to me.

"Yeah, you're right. This would have been considered high class where I'm from," I whispered back.

"Oh my god, Rosalie Hale, don't you look amazing!" I heard a man exclaim.

The voice was coming from a tall, slender man with dark spiky hair with very blond highlights. With blue eyes covered by thick, black rimmed glasses, he headed straight for Rose.

"You look great, too, D," Rose answered as he approached her, and they both shared a chaste kiss on the cheek.

"Damien, I'd like you to meet my friend, and new roommate, Bella Swan," Rose said, motioning toward me.

"Aren't you lovely," he stated, coming over to me and placing a small kiss on my right cheek.

"And this is my brother's girlfriend, Alice Cullen," she continued, motioning now to Alice.

"AHH! Aren't you just a little doll," he said animatedly, approaching Alice. "And in Jimmy Choo boots, as well. A girl after my own heart!" He gave Alice a quick hug and a peck on the cheek.

"So," Damien began, looking at the three of us, "who's first?"

"Bella is your only customer today. Alice and I are treating her to a makeover. Hair, mani-pedi, massage, the whole nine yards," Rose told him.

"A makeover?" he asked, looking a bit confused. "She's already quite beautiful, don't you think? Not too many girls can go out without make up and look as lovely as she does," he scolded Rose, like I wasn't even there.

"We weren't thinking anything too drastic," Alice told him. "Just a little cut and a few highlights."

"Hmm. Well, Miss Bella, let's get you over to the chair and see what we can do, okay?"

He turned on his heel and motioned for us to follow him. He led us over to a chair on the right side of the room and pulled the cape off the seat. "Do you ladies need anything to drink? Water, soda, tea, coffee?" he asked.

"Water, please," Rose said.

"I'm good," Alice replied.

"Tea, please," I told him.

"Sweetened or unsweetened, honey?" Damien asked me.

"Sweet please. Lemon, too, if you have it," I requested.

"Coming right up, doll face. Rose, Alice, you two can sit in the booths next to me. They don't have any appointments for a while yet," he told us, and left to get our drinks.

Alice sat to the left of me, and Rose on the right, as Damien headed to the back of the salon to get our drinks. He came back a moment later with a bottled water for Rose, and a Liptonsweetened tea, with lemon, for me. Snapping the cape around my neck and taking my hair and shaking it down, he took my hair in his hands and started examining the ends.

"You've got quite a problem with split ends, missy. When was the last time you had a trim?" he asked.

I blushed a bit. I had only known this man for a couple minutes and already he was making me feel guilty about my lack of hair care upkeep. "Umm, maybe a year or so," I answered, sheepishly.

"Tsk-tsk, young lady. You have such beautiful hair. You should get it trimmed every few weeks; it would make it much more shiny and healthy looking," he scolded. "I'm probably going to have to take off almost two inches, is that going to bother you too much?" he asked.

"No, that's fine. Alice suggested getting it cut to the middle of my back; do you think that would look okay?"

He thought about that for a minute while staring at my reflection in the mirror. Tilting his head to the side and pressing his lips together, he said, "Well, with your small frame and facial bone structure, you really would look better with long hair. But I think that will still be long enough to look pretty damn hot on you. Plus, if we layer you up some, I think it will do just fine."

"What about highlights?" I asked.

"Your hair already has some natural reddish highlights to it. I think we should play that up and put some bolder red in there or copper even. What do you ladies think?" he asked Alice and Rose.

"Sounds good to me, D," Rose said. Alice just nodded while flipping through a hairstyle magazine.

"Okay, doll face, let's get you all washed up. Follow me," Damien said as he spun my chair around and started walking toward the direction of the sinks.

After washing and conditioning my hair, he wrapped my head in a towel and asked me to follow him back to his chair. I sat down and he spun me so that my back was to the mirror. When I asked why, he said he was keeping my hair a surprise until the end. I thought that was a bit theatrical, but I didn't really care. After he finished combing my hair, Rose started her barrage of questions for Alice. I guessed the Spanish Inquisition was still on.

"So, Alice, what's your story? Jazz told me the basics, but what makes you tick, girly?" Rose asked, trying to put on an intimidating face. Really, she just looked kind of constipated.

Alice closed her magazine, squared her shoulders and looked at Rose. "There's not much to tell, really. I grew up in Chicago, and I live there now in an apartment with my older brother, Edward. I attend the International Academy of Design and Technology in Chicago; I'm majoring in Fashion Design. My parents live in Chicago, but my dad, Carlisle, is originally from Washington State. He's now a surgeon at Children's Memorial Hospital. My mom, Esme, is a native Chicagoan and a lifelong Cubs fan, even though she grew up on the South Side. She freelances in interior design when she wants something to do."

"Uh-oh, bet your mom's a black sheep in her neighborhood for cheering for the _Northsiders, _huh?" I mocked, chuckling at the silly cross-town rivalry between the Cubs and the White Sox.

Alice rolled her eyes. "My mother and her love of baseball is something I'll never understand; I think it's all silly. Honestly, I couldn't care less about Harry Caray, the ridiculous Billy Goat Curse, or Steve Bartman catching that stupid foul ball in '03. Edward likes to taunt her, though, even going so far as to buy season tickets to the Sox a couple years ago for her birthday. _He_ loves baseball almost as much as she does. He was a pitcher in high school, you know. But he tore a bunch of tendons or something his junior year, and his arm was never the same."

"That sucks. Does he regret it?" I asked, honestly curious.

"I don't think so. If he does, he doesn't really show it," Alice answered.

"So, is your brother in school, too, or does he just hang out doing nothing besides torturing your mom all day?" Rose asked.

"Edward really waffled for a long time on what he wanted to do. He even took a year off after he graduated high school to decide what he really wanted. Dad, of course, wanted him to follow in his footsteps and go into medicine. Edward considered it, but really wanted to study music more. That gold-digging, hose-beast of a girlfriend he used to have wanted him to go into medicine so that she could be a trophy wife. She hated his love of music." Alice paused for a moment, then continued.

"Finally he decided that it overshadowed his need to please our dad and Tanya, so he's studying music at the University Of Illinois. He could have gotten into _Juilliard, but Tanya threw a fit because she wanted to stay in Illinois. So that's where he stayed. Last year he added an education minor, as well. He said that he was sadly ashamed of what was played on the radio, and was terrified that kids these days thought that was 'real music.' So, he's bound and determined to become a music teacher so that he can properly educate kids on, what he feels music should really be," she said, shaking her head. "He's kind of a music snob."_

"Well, that's quite interesting, isn't it, Bella?" Rose sang, smugly looking my direction. I just rolled my eyes. "Alice, did you know that Bella here is going to be a teacher, too? Isn't that a funny coincidence?" she asked suggestively.

"Why yes, Rose, it is," Alice exclaimed, sharing a look with Rose. "What subject will you be teaching, Bella?"

I sighed at their antics. "Literature. Coincidentally_, _like Edward, I feel there is something lacking in the system, too. I want to share my passion of literature with kids. Shakespeare can be fun for kids of all ages, it's just in how you present it," I asserted.

"Hmm, a literature snob and a music snob. Good fit, don't you think, Alice?" Rose mused.

Alice tapped her chin like she was deep in thought and answered in a sing-song tone of voice, "Why yes, Rose, I think it just might be!"

"Enough you guys. New topic, please," I begged.

Damien just chuckled at our conversation. Luckily, he hadn't joined in.

"I know you're a literature and education student, but what else is there, Bella? I don't know anything about you," Alice said.

Great, of course the topic would change to me. A couple of years ago, I wouldn't have minded talking about my life. But now, I cringed. I really hated talking about my family.

Taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly, I steeled my nerves for the conversation I was about to have. I decided that I wasn't going to dance around the topic anymore. These two seemed like they could really end up being my close friends. I didn't want them to find out later, and be hurt that I hadn't told them sooner. No relationship should be built on lies, and I wasn't going to do that now.

"Umm, well…my father, Charlie, is from Arizona. So is my mother, Renee. My dad used to be a cop in Phoenix, but now he's a police chief in Washington State. My mo-"before I could finish the word, a piercing shriek nearly ruptured my eardrums.

"Oh. My. God!" Alice screamed at a glass-shattering decibel. I thought I heard dogs down the street howling.

"Bella _Swan? _As in, _Charlie Swan?"_ Alice asked.

"Yeah, I just said my dad's name is Charlie…" I said, completely confused as to how Alice knew my dad and why she was so excited about it.

"Bella! I know your dad," she said, clapping like an excited five year old.

Now I was really confused!

"How do you know Charlie?" I asked.

"My dad's hometown is _Forks,"_ she declared.

"No shit? Small world," I said, rather disbelievingly.

Noticing the look of confusion on Rose's face I added, "Forks is where my dad lives."

She nodded, finally getting it.

"Chief Swan's amazing. You're really a lucky girl," Alice praised. "We used to go to Forks a lot in the summer so we could get away from the city. Dad said that he refused to raise children who thought of camping as staying in a third-rate hotel, or that hiking was not taking the escalator in the mall. So, for at least two weeks during our summer vacation, we'd go there. We spend a lot of Christmases there also; mom thinks it's more beautiful there in the winter, and I couldn't agree more. Everything up there is just so pure and clean compared to Chicago - don't you think, Bella?"

I blushed with embarrassment. I didn't really spend nearly enough time with my dad, but I did know that if I ever needed him, he'd be right there for me. Maybe if I'd spent more time with Charlie, I would have met Alice years ago, and we'd have been friends for years by now. Yet one more reason to regret not living with my dad.

"To be honest, Alice, I wouldn't know. I haven't spent much time with my dad over the years, even though I know he'd be thrilled if I did," I mumbled.

Rose uncrossed her legs and leaned forward, putting her elbows on her knees and her chin resting on her palms. "Why didn't you, then?"

Ah, the million dollar question. The one I asked myself constantly, especially after the Phil fiasco. Sighing, I answered her.

"My mom seemed more fragile," I told her. "I was barely two years old when my parents split. Charlie got shot dealing with a grocery store hold-up, and Renee freaked. As I started to say, my mom is an elementary school teacher. She actively searched for a job in a small Midwestern town, hoping to get away from high crime rates and freaks. But any time I'd bring up staying with Charlie for any extended period of time, I could see the pain in her eyes. Even after she got remarried and had my sister, it seemed like it would just hurt her too much. I almost moved up there last year, but then I decided that moving my senior year wasn't something I wanted to do."

"So why go to school in California, when U-Dub isn't too far from Forks?" Alice asked. "You could have lived in Seattle and been closer to your dad."

"I wanted a new life and a new start, away from anyone who knew me," I answered quietly.

Alice and Rose shared a look then turned their attention back on me. Suddenly, Damien piped up after being deathly quiet through our whole conversation.

"What are you running from, baby doll? Whatever it is, it can't be that bad, can it?" he asked curiously.

He had to ask _that _question. The one I knew would come eventually.

My heart started to beat faster and my hands started to sweat. What would Alice and Rose think after I told them? Would they think I was a freak, and mock me as people had done back home? Would they think less of Renee for supporting Phil? Shit, I had to be careful here. Damien was obviously gay, and offending the man cutting my hair didn't seem like a good idea.

I peered up from my bowed head to see three pairs of eyes starting, patiently, waiting for my answer. Steeling my nerves, I started to explain just what, or rather _who, _I was running from.

* * *

**A/N #2: In case you care at all, Utopia used to be a diner on Chauncey Hill at Purdue. I LOVED hanging out there in high school! It was taken out and replaced with a Hookah bar before 2008, but this being fiction, I took a little liberty with it and decided it was still there! Also, Damien's salon is loosely based on my friend Jesse's salon here in Lafayette. It's called Designing Length and I LOVE it! And yes, Jesse scolds me constantly on my lack of hair care upkeep! Haha!**

Ok, so regarding next chapter...the topic of Phil's situation is one that hits home with me, so be gentile next chapter if you care to review. And on that note, thanks a million to everyone who reviewed!

Also, i'm trying to get chapter 6 written, but writers block is kicking my ass. So, in an attempt to get the juices going, I'll write an outake in anyone's POV up to where we are at the end of chapter 5, with the exception of Phil. That's still a sore subject for me, and anything i write will be tainted with anger (after you read 5, you'll understand). So drop me a review with who's POV you'd like to see. The most popular person wins!

Come play with me and HockeyChick on Twitter! camdengirl09 is how you can find me there! Let me know you're a reader, though, so I don't block you!

Enough of my ramblings, now...until next time...


	5. Chapter 5 The Great Big Disconnect

**Ok Folks, here's the chapter you've been waiting for! Bella's going to tell us about why she's so upset with her stepdad. Now, before you read on and maybe even review, please know that I LIVE this every day. I'll explain at the bottom.**

**Thanks so much to SecretlySeverus and SqueakyZorro from PTB for beta'ing this chapter! Your advice was wonderful!**

**I don't own Twilight, but Phil _is _my dad. Enough said. Carry on...**

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Chapter 5 – The Great Big Disconnect

…_You got sex if you prayed for it__  
__…I got sleeping pills that'll make you wanna call your mama_

_Everyone's keeping their love far away__  
__Everyone's keeping their love far away__  
__Keeping their love far away_

_Everyone's keeping their love far away_

_…And you're lonely but you don't know why__  
__Somebody just killed a man and I forgot to moisturize_

_…You got therapists to justify your behavior_

_Everyone's keeping their love far away__  
__Everyone's keeping their love far away__  
__Keeping their love far away__  
__Everyone's keeping their love far away_

_And I loved your company__  
__So full with generosity__  
__I've something else to say__  
__But it must have slipped my mind__  
__It must've slipped my mind_

_So write another love song__  
__And pretend that nothing's wrong__  
__And if a feeling comes__  
__Just call me in the morning_

_Everyone's keeping their love far away__  
__Everyone's keeping their love far away__  
__Keeping their love far away__  
__Everyone's keeping their love far away_

_~~ The Great Big Disconnect, Darren Hayes ~~_

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**BPOV**

"Okay, okay, just do me a favor and keep an open mind until I'm done. Please," I pleaded.

All three nodded their heads.

Taking a deep breath, I began. "When my mom moved us to Indiana, she found the job she was looking for; a town, Delphi, in Indiana was looking for a second grade teacher. She moved us to its sister town, Camden, and began our life all over again. After teaching there for awhile, she got pretty close with the gym teacher, Phil. Along with being the gym teacher, he coached the wrestling, baseball, and football teams. He was tall, athletic, caring to both of us, and just generally a good guy. He was a real 'guy's guy.' Anyone that knew him really liked him. They dated for close to two years, then got married shortly before my sister was born. Everything seemed great for us all, really. Phil treated me with respect, even though I wasn't his actual daughter, even going as far as to dispatch his wrestlers to keep creeps away from me when I entered middle school." I smiled at the memory of Emmett and his buddies coming down from the high school during their lunch period and scaring guys away who would get a little handsy in the hallways.

"Anyway, a couple of years ago, things started seeming strained between him and my mom, but I never pried because I figured it was their business, and if it was anything major, they'd tell Bree and me. Sometime toward the end of the school year last year, I was doing laundry and found a bra that I didn't recognize. I looked at the size and it was larger than anything Renee, Bree, or I wore, and considering it was Phil's laundry I was doing, I assumed he was having an affair with another woman." At this, I heard Alice gasp softly and Rose hiss. Damien just kept looking at me with curious eyes.

"I hid the bra in my bedroom and waited for a time when no one else was around so I could confront him about it. I got my chance a few days later. Mom was having a girl's night out with a few of the other female teachers, and Bree was out with her friends. Phil was in his and Renee's room, and I knocked once and just walked in like I always do. When I opened the door, what I saw about made me puke. Standing in front of the mirrored closet doors was Phil wearing a wig and a _dress. _Freaked out, I ran to my bedroom and locked the door," I said in a rush.

I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans and kept my head down.

Alice and Rose both gasped, stunned speechless.

"So your step-father is a cross dresser?" Damien asked.

"Yes and no, I don't know," I answered. "After he banged on my door for almost ten minutes telling me I didn't understand, and me crying and freaking out, I let him in to explain himself. I told him about the bra I found and asked if it was his. He confirmed it was, so believe me, I gave it back. He told me that for as long as he could remember, he felt like a woman trapped in a man's body. He said there's even a name for it, _Gender Dysphoria."_

"I've heard of that before," Damien said. "But the people I know who say that usually end up changing their sex and identity; does your step-dad have plans to do that?"

"Not that I know of," I answered.

"Wait, does your mother know about all this?" Rose asked.

"Yes. Phil told me that day that was the reason he and Renee's relationship had been so strained. She found out he was going out sometimes with his friends, ones that none of us knew about, dressed as a woman. She found his stash of clothes, and like me, assumed that he was having an affair and was, for some reason, keeping the woman's clothes. When I talked to her about it later, she said on one hand, she was relieved he wasn't sleeping around. But on the other, how do you cope with your husband telling you he feels like a woman? She's just as confused and hurt as the rest of us."

"So does that make him gay now?" Alice wondered.

"I don't have a clue, Alice." This is what I wondered about myself. "He claimed he'd never slept with a man and that he would never break his vows to my mother like that. But lying and sneaking around seems like you're breaking something more important to me…trust," I told her.

"So what happens now?" Alice asked.

"With what?" I answered.

"With your mom and step-dad. Are they still together or what?"

"They're still together, for now. Renee said that she doesn't walk away from challenges anymore; she's done that too much in her life. She has them both in couples counseling, even though Phil keeps telling her that no amount of counseling is going to change him, it's just who he is. But that's not even the worst of it," I told them.

"It gets worse?" Alice asked.

"Yeah. Last October, Phil was up in Merrillville for a 'coaches meeting' and got arrested for prostitution. Turns out, he _was _sleeping with other people. He was part of an escort service that catered to people with fetishes, one being transvestites. Apparently, some guys like girls with 'a little extra.' Mom got a call at two o'clock in the morning to bail him out of jail. She drove all the way up to Merrillville, about an hour and a half drive, to bail her husband, who was dressed as a woman, out of jail. Somehow, someone in our town found out, and Phil was asked to resign from all school positions shortly after. Things have been tense and shitty ever since," I said with a shaky voice, pleading internally for the tears not to come.

"Wow, Bella, I'm so sorry," Rose said in a hushed voice. "Is that the reason for the tension between you and him?"

"Yeah. I could deal with him feeling like a woman. Hell, I could even deal with him dressing like one. But lying to both my mom and I, saying that he wasn't sleeping with other people…_that _pissed me off. He is a total hypocrite, and I have zero respect for that," I sneered. "The whole time I've known him, he has preached to me and my sister that it's better to always be honest, even if the truth hurts, because you will gain respect and trust that way. He completely went against everything he's ever taught us."

I took a deep breath. There. I'd told them my secret shame. They were quiet. _Really _quiet. What were they thinking? They must think I'm a total freak. They must think my mom is a huge pushover. Shit. SHIT! I knew I shouldn't have told them! Now Rosalie is going to ask me to move out, she doesn't want any part of my freakish life. I'm going to have to move back home, thus spoiling what I had come here to accomplish! Maybe I could go live with Charlie. He'd love it if I lived up there. I could transfer to University of Washington; it's not UCLA, but it's still a good…

"BELLA!" Rose's voice broke me from my internal ranting. "Are you okay? Here, take a drink of my water."

It was then I realized I was breathing heavily. I was on the verge of a panic attack, great. Now I looked like an even bigger freak! I took the water and thanked Rose for it.

"What was that all about, Bella? Are you okay?" Rose asked, sincerity oozing from her voice.

"Yeah," I said shakily. "So, when do you want my stuff moved out?"

Rose shot me a confused look. She looked to Alice who was just as confused.

"What are you talking about? Why would I want your stuff moved out?" she asked.

"I figured after all I just told you, you'd want me out," I answered honestly and dejectedly.

Rose shook her head in disbelief. Kneeling down in front of me, she took my hands into hers and said, "Bella, I don't think any differently about you right now than I did five minutes ago. If anything, I understand you more now. I don't want you to go anywhere; I think you and I are going to be best friends."

Her words touched me deeply and silent tears began to run down my cheeks. No one, save for Emmett and Angela, had accepted me so readily ever, let alone after they found out about Phil.

She stood up and took a Kleenex Damien handed to her. Giving it to me so I could wipe my eyes, she studied me for a minute before bending down once again and giving me a quick hug. When she locked eyes with me, I saw nothing but sincerity in her eyes. She wasn't bluffing; she really didn't care about my whacked out family. She only wanted my friendship. Maybe what she had said yesterday was true. Maybe Rosalie Hale could be the older sister I never had.

"Have you or your family ever gone to a counselor who specializes in families of gay, lesbian, or transgendered people? Many Pride organizations and PFLAG have resources to help," Damien told me.

I shook my head. "No, I never knew those things even existed. Delphi is a seriously small town; my extent of knowledge concerning anything gay is limited to reruns of _Will and Grace._"

"I can give you a few phone numbers later, if you want, that might help. You don't have to call or anything, but if you feel it might help…" Damien offered.

I looked up at him from my chair and gave him a weak smile. "Thanks Damien, I'd like that."

He smiled and went back to trimming my hair.

"There's just one thing that I want to ask," Alice started.

I looked at her and quirked an eyebrow, signaling her to go on.

"Why would you think that Rose or I would think any differently of you? Did you really think we would judge _you _based on how your step-dad chooses to live?" she asked.

"You know, that's two things, Alice," I teased, trying to lighten the mood.

Alice rolled her eyes at me.

"Back home, as soon as everyone found out that not only had Phil been dressing like a woman, but also got arrested for prostitution, it was like crack for the gossip whores. You aren't quite grasping just how small and backwoods Delphi is. It's all white farmers there. We had ONE black family move in, and they were nearly run out of town with all the rumors and stereotypes the locals thrust upon them," I told her.

"It really helped that the father of the family, David Crowley, was a dentist and his sons were honor roll students. The snobs had them all pegged as gang-banging hoodlums, but they shot that down, and now they're accepted just like everyone else. Hell, Hatfields and McCoys are still fighting and we're not even in Kentucky," I joked.

"So change is not easily accepted then?" Rose asked.

"Nope," I said, popping the "p."

"So is that what you meant when you mentioned protecting your sister earlier?" Alice asked.

"Yeah, Bree took it really hard. Before all this shit, she was the hub of popularity. She had just started the sixth grade when all this happened, and of course, her friends could no longer be seen with the daughter of a freak. It devastated her. She had always wanted to be a cheerleader, but when they had try-outs for the basketball season, she was cut in the first round of judging. She still feels it was because of Phil. When people whisper about her or our family, it really gets to her. To Bree, image is everything, and now that's completely tarnished for her. Kids were teasing her about her dad being a girl, and one boy, Michael Crowley, teased her so bad she came home crying. That was right before school got out, and I got so pissed about it, I punched him in the face the next time I saw him. I spent the second to last week of my senior year in in-school suspension for it," I told them.

"Wait…Bad-Ass Bella punched a twelve-year-old?" Rose asked, stunned.

I blushed. "Well, he is an eighth-grader and thirteen years old, but yeah," I admitted, embarrassed. "He should have kept his mouth shut."

"Damien, is there somewhere I could go have a smoke? This whole conversation has me on edge," I asked.

"Sure, follow me," he said, unsnapping my cape and walking toward the back of the salon.

Opening the back door, he led me to a picnic table and told me to take my time. A short while later, Alice came out.

"How ya doing?" she asked, bumping my shoulder lightly with her own.

"I've been better," I answered honestly. "But I do feel a bit lighter now that I've told you guys. I hate having to lie about my family."

"Does your dad know about all this?" she asked.

"Yes. At first, he was furious. My dad is a decent, generally open-minded guy, but he went in protection mode. He tried to demand that my mother send me to live with him, but I refused. I couldn't leave my mom or sister alone, ya know?" I answered.

"I get that, I do, but do you ever worry about you, Bella? About what you need? What would make _you _happy?" Alice asked, concern written all over her face.

I took a deep drag off my cigarette and hung my head. "What _I _needed to do, then and even now, is make sure my sister is okay. I stayed because she isn't as strong as I am. I couldn't care less what people said about Phil because, even though it stung, he isn't _my _father. I have a dad, a really good one. Bree doesn't. Bree only has Phil," I said, looking up at her and wiping the tears from my eyes.

"So if you need to protect your little sister so much, why are you _here_ now? Why didn't you go to school somewhere closer to home?" She paused, then asked, "Want to know what I think?" she asked.

I gave her a look that clearly showed I wanted her to continue.

"I think that you were sick of being the protector, Bella. I think that you wanted to break away and be your own person, hell, you've said as much. You keep saying you want to leave the 'old Bella' behind in Indiana and start over again. It's okay, Bella, to care about yourself. It's okay to put your own needs and wants before everyone else's for once, you know that, right?"

By now my shoulders were shaking from the force of the sobs I was desperately trying to keep inside. I don't know how she did it, but Alice had hit the nail on the head. I _had _come out to California out of pure, selfish desire. Desire to break away from the embarrassment of Phil's new, alternative lifestyle. Desire to not have to worry about where everyone was all the time and what they were doing. Desire to just be me, however the hell I wanted to be. And that made me feel like shit. I was completely ashamed that in a time that two of the people I loved the most needed me, I basically said "screw you" and moved three thousand miles away. And Renee made sure I knew just how disappointed she really was every day before I left. I warred with my conscience constantly, and for some reason, I was finally allowing myself to break down and let the emotions overtake me.

"You don't think I'm a completely selfish bitch?" I asked Alice in between sobs.

Alice placed her hand on my back and started rubbing soothing circles on it. "Of course I don't, Bella. I'd venture to say that Rose doesn't think that, either. No one should expect you to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders; it's just too much to ask of one person," she answered.

I sniffed once more and shored up my resolve. Alice and Rose had wanted this to be a fun day, and my drama was bringing it down. Stubbing my cigarette out, I stood and squared my shoulders, determined that the rest of the day was going to be nothing but fun. I gave Alice a quick hug and followed her back into the salon.

Rose, Alice, Damien and I chatted about random little things from there on out. Damien even offered some suggestions of places Alice and I should see since we were new to the area, and Rose promised to take us to Hollywood soon.

When Damien finished my hair, it was stunning! My hair was now a deeper brown, cut to about chin length, with copper or caramel colored highlights. I looked like a new woman, and felt like it too. Telling Rose and Alice (and by chance, Damien as well) my secret, I felt somewhat lighter. I was beyond amazed that they hadn't taunted or teased me as people had back home. They just seemed to accept it. We went upstairs in the salon and got our manicures and pedicures and chatted some more about nonessential things. I got the impression they were trying to keep me from talking about anything heavy. As much as I hated to admit it, I was really enjoying myself.

_Bree will never believe this!_

We exited the salon just as Rosalie's stomach started to rumble. Alice just laughed, stating that we'd better feed the savage beast before we went shopping. We stopped at a café nearby and ate lunch at the outdoor patio tables.

* * *

Rose drove us to Santa Monica Place, a beautiful mall full of stores like Bloomindale's and Nordstrom's and boutique stores like Coach, Burberry and Juicy Couture. I was shocked.

"Um, Rose, this is a bit high-end for me. Isn't there a Macy's or JCPenney around here somewhere?" I asked, feeling way out of my element.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Bella, Alice and I are treating you, so we are treating you right," she told me.

Alice gave my hand a reassuring squeeze, and upon entering, I suddenly felt like Cinderella entering the ball – sorely out of place.

Alice and Rose dragged me from store to store, trying on what felt like a million items. They bought so much stuff that we had to go to the car twice to unload our purchases! As the day wore on, I was starting to feel more comfortable with the clothes they were picking out. Alice was mindful to give me stylish clothes that she swore fit my personality. Looking at myself in the mirror with my new hair cut and the beautifully fit clothes I was trying on, I felt my confidence rising more and more.

By the time we were finished shopping, it was getting dark. Rose asked us if we wanted to walk to the Santa Monica Pier, since it was close, and Alice and I agreed. We rode the historic 1922 carousel and watched the sun set over the Pacific. After eating dinner at the Surf View Café, we finally headed home for the night.

Alice called Jasper and asked him to come help us carry the bags up. After asking if we left anything in the mall for anyone else, and gaining the stink eye from both Alice and Rose, Jasper helped us unload all the purchases in the living room. I sorted through the bags, getting all my stuff, and took it to my room. As I was beginning to hang things in the closet, Rose came in, closing the door softly behind her.

"Can we talk a minute?" she asked.

"Sure," I answered, confused as to why she seemed so hesitant to talk to me.

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay," she began. "After what you said today, it got me thinking. You probably don't have many people you feel comfortable opening up to, and I just want you to know that you don't have to worry about that with me. Anything you tell me stays with me, and I won't ever judge you. I just wanted you to know that."

I sat there stunned. I was touched by the gesture and was fighting not to cry. "Thanks, Rose," I said, my voiced strained from trying to hold back the tears. "I really appreciate that. I may take you up on that sometime."

Rose just nodded and gave me a small smile. "So, need any help getting all this put away?" she asked.

I looked around at all the bags scattered on my floor. Letting out a small laugh, I said, "Yeah, actually. That would be great."

We worked side by side in silence, putting my clothes away. It didn't take us long to get everything put up, and after Rose slipped quietly out of my room, I headed for the shower.

* * *

Exiting the shower a short time later, I dressed and went to join the others. I found them out on the balcony with a small fire going, beer in hand.

"Want one?" Jasper asked, lifting his beer bottle.

"Uhh…I'm not sure…" I answered. "Oh hell, why not?"

Jasper smiled and went back into the house to get my beer.

"Do you guys mind if I smoke?" I asked Alice and Rose.

Both shook their heads, indicating that they didn't mind.

As I lit my cigarette, Jasper came back out with several beers and handed me one. Alice had a smirk on her face.

"What?" I asked, confused as to why she seemed amused at nothing.

"I was just thinking what Chief Swan would think, seeing his eighteen-year-old daughter sitting here smoking and drinking a beer," she said with a small laugh.

I smiled and rolled my eyes. "He knows about the smoking and is none too pleased. But he said that if that was what I chose as my teenage rebellion that it could be worse and he would just have to turn a blind eye."

After I had finished off two more beers, the alcohol and commotion of the day had caught up with me. With a yawn, I announced I was going to bed. Everyone wished me goodnight, and I melted into my bed as soon as I lay down.

As I drifted off to sleep, I thought about everything that had happened that day. I had bared my soul to my two new friends, and they hadn't rejected me. Suddenly, my future seemed a whole lot brighter. I didn't even notice my cell phone had a missed call and text message.

* * *

When I woke up the next morning, I felt lighter. I rolled over and looked at the clock and saw that it was nearly ten, and yet the house sounded quiet. I got up and peeked out my bedroom door and saw that Jasper and Alice were still asleep on the air mattress and Rose was nowhere to be seen. Figuring that they must have stayed up much later than I had, I threw my robe on and padded out to the kitchen. I quietly searched around the kitchen and found a waffle iron in a cabinet. I decided I would make breakfast for everyone. I put the coffee on and gathered the ingredients to make waffles. I was humming and flitting around the kitchen and didn't even hear Jasper come in.

"Morning, Bella," Jasper said, rubbing his eyes and making his way to the coffee pot.

"Jesus, Jasper," I tried to say quietly. "You scared the shit out of me."

Jasper flashed a sheepish grin. "Sorry," he drawled. "I was trying not wake Ali. I see you survived shopping with the girls."

I smacked his arm lightly. "Yes, no thanks to _you,_" I answered playfully. "It actually ended up being a lot of fun."

"See, it wasn't so bad, was it?" he teased.

"No, it wasn't."

"I like your hair, by the way. I don't think I told you last night," he complimented.

I felt my cheeks flush. "Uh, thanks. It was Alice's idea."

"She's good with things like that. I think it suits your personality better. It brightens up your face," he told me, flushing slightly. "Fuck, now I sound like a girl. I really need to get some male friends and stop hanging out with Ali so much."

I chuckled softly. "Yeah, wouldn't want people thinking you're gay," I teased, remembering the story Rose told two nights ago.

He rolled his eyes at me and smiled, getting a cup down from the cupboard and pouring coffee into it.

"So how much longer are you and Alice staying?" I asked, removing waffles from the iron and placing them on a plate.

"We haven't really decided yet. She doesn't have to be back for a few weeks, and since neither of us have a job, it's kind of up in the air. Why? Sick of us already?" Jasper asked, cocky grin firmly in place.

"No! Not at all," I denied, blushing. "I was just curious. I really like hanging out with you guys. I'm actually going to be kind of sad when you leave."

"Thanks, Bella. I'm flattered, and I'm sure Alice would be as well," he told me, sincerely. "But it's not like you won't ever see us again."

"I know," I said, adding more batter to the waffle iron.

"So what's the plan for today?" I asked.

"I have no clue. After yesterday, I assumed you'd want to lay low," he answered, a knowing grin on his lips.

"Actually, I was. I was hoping it would be warm enough to go to the beach today. I know it's still too cold to swim, but I would love to sit and relax by the ocean for a little bit," I told him.

"I think we could do that," he said. "I'm sure Alice and Rose would be more than happy to go relax on the beach for a while. We can ask them when they get up."

After Alice and Rose woke up and joined Jasper and I for breakfast, we decided that today was a perfect day to go to the beach. We changed and piled into Rose's car, but didn't go to the beach straight away. First, we stopped at a large storage facility where many of Jasper's things were still stored, including his surfboards and a Jeep!

"Wow, Jazz, you keep a car in storage?" I asked, a little shocked. I didn't know people did that.

"Yeah, I bought the Jeep so that I could transport my surfboards and go camping and stuff without having to take my pickup truck," he told me.

"Jasper's truck is his baby," Rose added. "He didn't want to scratch the paint," she added with an eye roll.

I nodded. "So where's your truck now?" I asked.

"In Chicago, parked at Ali's dad's house."

I nodded again.

We loaded up the surfboards onto the roof of Jasper's Jeep, and Rose and I followed him and Alice out to the beach. When we arrived, Rose declared the swells weren't high enough to go out with the boards yet, so we set up our things and lounged on the beach. I pulled my iPod from my bag and reclined in the sand, enjoying the warm rays from the sun. A short while later, I felt a nudge on my shoulder.

"Bella, you awake?" I heard Rose ask.

I pulled the ear buds out and leaned up on my elbows. "Yep, what's up?" I asked.

"Your phone's been ringing. I've heard _Epiphany _three times now," she told me.

"Shit! That's Bree. _Finally_," I said, digging my phone from my bag.

_Four missed calls and a text message. Oops!_

Not bothering to check the text, I quickly redialed my sister's number. She answered on the first ring.

"Took you long enough," she greeted.

"Well, hello to you too," I joked.

"What ya doing?" she asked.

"Sitting on the beach in the sun," I answered, smiling. "What _you _doin'?"

She laughed at my lame, fake Italian accent. _God, I watch too many mob movies!_

"Calling you back. Sorry I haven't been around much. It's been weird having something of a social life again," she told me, a wistful tone in her voice.

"About that…" I started.

"No, don't do that, Bella," she interrupted. "Please don't."

"Don't what?" I asked in fake confusion.

"Mom told me what you said about Riley, and you're wrong about him. You of all people should know not to judge someone based on their family," she scolded.

"Bree, I'm not basing my opinion of Riley based on James," I told her, rising from the blanket and walking away from the others.

"Yes, you are. You think that since James is a strung out asshole, that Riley is too. But he's not. He's sweet and caring, and he doesn't give a shit about Dad."

"Okay, but what about him getting arrested for possession?" I asked.

I heard her sigh. "I asked him about that. He was stupid and took the fall for his idiot brother. If James got caught again, it was going to mean a decent amount of jail time. So since it was a small amount, Riley took the fall. He now has a year of probation and community service to deal with. If it makes you feel any better, random drug screens are required for his probation, and he's passed them all. As for all the other shitty rumors about him, they're just that, Bella. _Rumors. _We know all about those, now don't we?" she asked, smugness seeping from her voice.

I ran my free hand through my hair and stopped walking at the water's edge. I allowed the water to rise up and recede from my feet. Scanning the vast expanse of the ocean, I took a deep breath. "How do you know, though, Bree? How do you know that he isn't just saying that to you?" I asked, concerned that Riley was just telling her what she wanted to hear.

Silence. Then, a sigh, and Bree replied, "I've been hanging out with him longer than you think, Bella."

_Huh? When did she…._

"How is that even possible, Bree? When you're not at school, you're usually home or with me," I asked, confused.

"Usually when you were at work. I also may have fibbed a bit…I wasn't in a book club. _Book club _was code for _Riley,_" she admitted.

I stood on the shore, stunned. How had I missed that? She was lying and sneaking around, and I hadn't noticed. _Some sister I am!_

"Don't do that to yourself, Bella," Bree scolded.

"Do what?" I asked.

"I know you're beating yourself up mentally right now. I _know _you…"

"Yeah, well apparently I don't know _you _well enough. If I did, I would have known about all this sooner," I answered, defeated.

Bree let out an exasperated sigh. "Damnit Bella, just stop!" she yelled. "I'm thirteen, you don't have to treat me like a baby anymore! This is _exactly _why I never told you about Riley in the first place!"

"Why the fuck are you yelling at me, _Brianna?_" I asked, using her full first name.

"Because you don't have to do this anymore! You don't have to play the martyr, okay? Look, I know that you feel responsible for me, I do. I know you feel like you have to shelter me from all the fucked up shit in the world, but _wake up!_ Our family is about as fucked up as it gets! If I can survive that, I can survive anything, don't you think?" she asked, breathing erratically.

_Shit! This is _not _how I wanted this conversation to go!_

I felt tears stinging my eyes. I tried to blink them away, but a few fell down my cheek. My heart was breaking. My little sister was telling me she didn't want or need me to protect her anymore.

"I…I just…" I started, through sniffles, trying to find a way to articulate to her why I do what I do. "I'm your older sister. It's my _job _to look out for you."

"I'm not a baby anymore," she said defiantly.

"I know that. But it doesn't change my desire to make sure you're okay. I'll do that until the day you die."

Another sigh. "I know that, Bella. But at some point you have to let me go and be my own person. I have to make my own mistakes and learn from them. How can I do that with you hovering over me all the time? I really didn't want to do this over the phone. I wanted to have this talk with you before you left for California, but I kept losing my nerve. Honestly, that's why I've been avoiding you. I didn't want to hurt your feelings. I love you more than you know. You're my big sister, and I respect you more than you'll ever know. And I appreciate how much you sacrifice to take care of me, especially since all this craziness with Dad started. But you don't have to do that anymore. Just… just live your life out there, sis. Go out and show the world what I already know, that you're _amazing_. Knock their socks off and show them why I'm so fucking proud to be your little sister."

By now I was sitting at the water's edge, sobbing. I wiped the tears off my cheek and sniffed. "I don't know what to do," I admitted. "Taking care of you has been my focus for so long, how do I just _not _do that anymore?"

"I'm not saying not to care, just give me space, that's all. Focus on _you _for once," she told me. Wow, for being only thirteen, she could be a wise little thing.

_I hope she got that from me._

"So, tell me about what you've been up to for the last three days," she said, changing the subject.

I sniffed and gave a small laugh. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me," she hedged, a smile present in her voice.

"I got a makeover!" I squealed into the phone.

"No fucking way!" Bree screamed. "Did they have to tie you down?"

"No, I actually enjoyed it," I told her, still not believing it myself.

"So…wow…I'm totally floored right now. What made you want to do that?"

"Rose, my roommate, and her brother's girlfriend, Alice, insisted. They swore my wardrobe sucked and I needed a new look. They wouldn't take no for an answer," I told her.

"I think I need to meet these two and possibly give them a medal," she replied, laughing.

"They're both great. And Jasper, Rose's brother, is the sweetest guy ever. Maybe sometime this summer I can get you out here."

"That'd be cool. Do you think you can make it back for my birthday in August?" she asked.

"Maybe. I'll have to see how much money I have then and if I can get the time off of work. Oh! I forgot to tell you about my new job!" I said excitedly.

"You got a job _already_?" she asked, astonished.

"Yep. Rose's friend owns a karaoke bar, and I start there Monday as a waitress," I replied happily.

"That's really cool, sis. I'm really happy for you," she said.

"Thanks."

"Well, I've taken up enough of your beach time for today, so I'm gonna let you go…" she started.

I frowned. I wasn't ready to let go just yet.

"You know, I live near the beach. I'll have plenty of time to come out here," I interrupted.

"I know, but I need to go. I feel a storm brewing here. Dad and Mom and have been really tense since you left. I don't have a good feeling about it. Anyway, Riley is picking me up later and taking me to a movie."

I felt horrible. She shouldn't have to face that alone.

"Oh…okay. Well, have fun, be safe, and call me if you need me," I told her.

"I will. Same goes for you, too. I love you, Belly Bear."

I smiled. "Love you, too, Bree-bree."

"Bye."

Silence.

I stood up and brushed off the sand from my legs and stared at the ocean. Maybe Bree was right, maybe I needed to let her go. I thought about what Rose and Alice had said in the car yesterday. Maybe I needed to just hope she could make good decisions for herself without me hovering over her. Maybe moving out here would be good for both of us. I felt uneasy about loosening my grip on Bree, and dread settled in the pit of my stomach. Bree was right; I felt a storm brewing, too. I just hoped that both of us could weather it and come out okay on the other side.

* * *

**So yeah, Phil's trans. My own story didn't go quite so smooth. My dad told my mom she was a fat cow and hated her, and left. Three weeks later he came back, said he was lying, and threw a packet of pictures on the table and left. To this day, he refuses to apologize to my mom for the things he said, cruel, huh? But he was the head wrestling coach at my high school for almost 15 years before he was asked to resign my sophomore year. He was an escort, but in Chicago, and never got arrested. He's moved back closer to home now, and as far as i know, isn't an escort anymore. I can't be sure, because we don't talk anymore (it has nothing to do with the trans thing, though).**

**On a happier note...next will be an outtake in Alice's POV and will include a lemon ;) Since no one but HockeyChick weighed in on the subject, she got her pick of outtake. Guess it pays to review, huh? ;) hahah **

**Thanks for reading, and please review. Hardly anyone did last chapter, and it made me sad. How do i know you're still digging my story if you don't? **

**Until next time...  
**


	6. Outtake 1  APOV

**AN: Hello again! No, your eyes aren't playing tricks, this IS the second update this week! I wrote this for HockeyChick on Twilighted because she was the only one to ask for it! HAHA! It's Alice's POV of chapter 4. More at the bottom!**

**This contains my first lemon (eek!) and my awesome betas, Marlena516 and SqueakyZorro for helping me! Believe me when I tell you I was blushing fire engine red when I read the comments you ladies left! To see you commenting on my smut was odd for me LOL!**

**As usual, I don't own anything Twilight related. I _DO_ own a pretty awesome song, thanks to HockeyChick. ;)**

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OUTTAKE - APOV

When Jasper first brought up the topic of meeting his sister, to say I was nervous would be an understatement. The way he spoke of his twin sister would make you think she was a goddess or something. He held her on a pedestal and I was afraid that she wouldn't like me. Her opinion really mattered to Jazz, and I was worried that if she didn't like me, then my relationship with Jazz would be over. And we just _couldn't _be over! Jasper was everything I'd ever wanted, and I just _knew_ he was my forever the first day I met him. I determinedly pushed the uncharacteristic unease out of my thoughts, put on my patented cheery smile, and happily agreed to go with him to California to meet his sister.

The flight from Chicago wasn't horrible, and after an hour layover in Denver, we were in Santa Monica. Our cab stopped in front of one of the most beautiful apartment buildings I'd ever seen. Jasper explained that he used to live on the far side of the building for awhile after he dropped out of college in Texas. His search of several other schools led him to Chicago, and to me. We were fated to be together; my feelings were _never_ wrong. I knew deep down someone was coming before we met – I just didn't know who.

We were tired and grimy from the trip and just wanted a shower and some sleep. Jasper led us through the gorgeous lobby, past a dark-skinned man who allowed us to continue up to Rosalie's apartment unannounced. Jasper pressed the button for the third floor, and as the doors closed, pulled me in for a kiss.

"Are you sure your sister won't mind us just barging in like this?" I asked as I pulled away from him.

He hugged me a bit tighter and I leaned into his chest. "Oh Ali Cat, you worry too much. Rose has been bugging me to meet you and she has a spare room. She won't mind at all."

Comforted by his words, I relaxed marginally and plastered on a smile. When the doors dinged and opened to our floor, I let Jasper lead me out into the hallway. Pulling my suitcase and carry-on, I followed him to the end of the hall, where he turned and knocked on the door. No one answered. He knocked again. Still nothing.

"Hmm, she isn't home. Odd, she didn't say anything about plans for tonight," Jasper said, digging into his pocket.

"I thought you said she didn't know we were coming?" I asked, confused.

"She doesn't," he answered, pulling a key ring out of his pocket and inserting a key into the lock. "I asked her what her plans were for this week so that I would know if she would be home or not. I wanted to surprise her."

"I see," I said, as Jasper opened the door and stepped to the side to allow me to enter.

After he entered, he flipped a switch by the door and the kitchen lights came on. With the light coming in from the balcony doors, I could see the whole area. Rosalie really had a lovely home. I couldn't have decorated it better myself. If her taste in home décor was any indication, she and I would be great friends. I could just _feel _it!

Jasper took my hand and led us into a room off to the right. Flicking on the light and looking around the room, a look of confusion and then recognition crossed his face. "Shit," he muttered, "I forgot Rose said she was getting a roommate."

"Maybe we should go get a hotel room or something?" I asked.

"Maybe," he agreed."Right now I just want to shower, change, and get comfortable. My back is killing me after that long plane ride. Just sit your bag by the closet and I'll go get the rest. I doubt they'll care that we're borrowing the shower."

As Jasper left the room, I pulled my large suitcase over to the closet and unzipped it. Shuffling through to find my comfy yoga pants and a tee shirt, I grabbed a toiletry bag off the top and headed into the bathroom. Shortly after I had stripped down and turned the shower on, I was joined by Jasper, who wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled my behind against his prominent bulge.

"God, I love it when you have no clothes on," he whispered in my ear, his warm breath raising a flurry of goose bumps all over my skin.

I smirked and turned my face to his, capturing his lips in a searing kiss. "Care to join me in the shower, Mr. Hale?" I asked, pushing myself harder into him.

"I thought you'd never ask," he drawled. _God, I loved that sexy southern drawl!_

We entered the shower together; I was under the warm spray, Jasper behind me. I felt his hands caressing my shoulders, gently rubbing away the tension.

"Mmm, that feels nice," I told him, my head falling to the side.

Jasper leaned down and laid soft kisses long my shoulder, working his way up to my neck. I sighed in response as he eventually made it to the soft spot behind my ear. My skin pebbled from the sensations he was sending through my body.

His hands slid down my body and came to rest at my hips, softly pulling me into his hard cock as he gently rubbed against my ass. I lifted my arms and locked my hands behind his neck as he peppered kisses along my other shoulder.

Gently, Jasper turned me around so I was facing him, brought his hands up to either side of my head and pulled my face to his. He pressed his lips to mine, his tongue softly caressing my bottom lip, silently asking permission to deepen the kiss. My lips parted and our tongues fought for dominance as I rose up on my toes and tangled my fingers in his hair.

In one fluid movement, he pressed his hands to my ass and lifted me. My legs automatically wrapped around his waist, my wet heat grinding on his throbbing erection.

"Jesus, Alice, you're so fucking wet already," he growled in my ear.

I answered by pressing my core into him even harder.

Jasper lifted me just slightly, sliding into me effortlessly. The feeling of him completely filling me was something I hoped I never got used to. Being with him like this made me feel complete. We were puzzle pieces that fit perfectly together. We both hissed in satisfaction and he gave me a moment to adjust to his size.

He turned us to the right, pinning my back against the wall. Ducking his head down, he took my left nipple into his mouth, sucking on it as he began moving inside me. The feeling was amazing, and I gripped his shoulders and threw my head back into the wall, pushing my breast into his face eagerly.

"God, Jazz, that feels _so _good," I moaned in between thrusts.

His attention turned to the neglected nipple on my right breast and my hands moved again to his hair, tugging at the roots. Jasper moaned around me and the vibrations against my heated skin only furthered my pleasure.

Jasper's lips ghosted back up my body and met my lips in a heated, frenzied kiss.

Pulling away for air, his beautiful gray eyes met mine and his sexy stare nearly sent me over the edge.

"I'm close, Ali. Come with me, baby," he ground out.

His hand slid down between us and he began rubbing my swollen clit, trying to bring me to my release.

"Harder, Jasper, I'm almost there," I pleaded.

He smirked, and began pounding me more vigorously. I could feel my back rubbing the wall, and the slight pain it brought only turned me on even more.

Jasper shifted his hips just slightly, hitting just the right spot, and within seconds I felt my inner walls contracting around him, heat spreading all over my body as my orgasm hit hard. My legs quivered, and I wrapped my arms around his neck, holding on for dear life as bliss coursed through my veins.

A couple more thrusts and Jasper came hard, my name falling from his lips like a prayer. He leaned against me, both of us breathing hard, coming down from our sexual high.

"Fuck, that was amazing," he told me, love and adoration shining in his eyes.

Still unable to think or speak from the mind blowing orgasm he'd just given me, I nodded and smiled at him, hoping my eyes said everything I was unable to put into words at the moment.

"We'd better finish getting cleaned up before the hot water runs out," he said, setting me back down and holding on to my hips as my weak legs tried to hold me upright.

We finished showering, and Jasper got out first. As I turned the water off, I thought I heard a door close.

"Jazz, did you hear that?" I asked him.

"Hear what, baby?" he answered.

I listened again, but didn't hear anything. Maybe I'd imagined it. "Nothing, it was nothing. Nevermind," I said to him, but something still felt off.

About the time I said that, Jasper opened the door to let some of the steam out and was about to head to the sink, when we both heard a noise in the apartment.

"Okay, I _know _you heard that," I told him.

He smiled. "Yeah, Rose is probably home. We'll get dressed and head out to say hi," he told me, just as someone entered the adjoined bedroom. The next thing I knew, someone had punched Jasper and he was doubled over. The attacker then spun my love to the floor and had him pinned down. I was so terrified, all I could do was scream.

Seconds seem to slowly tick by; I didn't know what to do. I was naked, soaking wet, and someone had just attacked my boyfriend! I heard someone shouting, "Bella! What the _fuck_? What's all the screaming about?"

I quickly grabbed a towel and peeked around the door. There was a brown-haired woman sitting on top of Jasper, pinning him to the floor, and another woman, who I knew was Rosalie, was scolding her for attacking her brother.

I saw the woman, whose name apparently was Bella, flush the deepest shade of red I've ever seen. She and Rosalie were talking, but I wasn't paying attention to them. All I could focus on was Jasper standing there, naked and wet, cupping his manhood. He looked so freaked out and so sexy at the same time. The girls exited the bedroom and Jasper came back into the bathroom and shut the door.

"Well, that was fucking embarrassing," Jasper said, shaking his head in disbelief. "Are you okay?"

"I'm a little shaken, but okay," I assured him. "What was all that about, anyway?"

"Apparently, that was Rosalie's new roommate, Bella, who attacked me. She thought I was an intruder," he told me. "As small as she is, I'm surprised she took me down like that. She's a hell of a lot stronger than she looks."

"Like you would have raised your hand to a woman, anyway," I noted, hugging him.

"Let's get dressed and head back out there; she probably feels horrible," Jasper said, grabbing his sweatpants and sliding his leg in.

We got dressed and joined Bella and Rosalie in the living room. Jasper slid into a large chair and I perched myself on his lap. I felt so bad for Bella; she apologized to Jasper again, the scorching red hue never leaving her face. When she mentioned her father was a cop, a flash of something crossed my mind. Bella looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn't pin point why. She refused to meet my eyes, so I introduced myself.

"Bella Swan, I'm Rose's new roommate," she told me.

_Why did that name sound so damned familiar?_

Rose teased that she wasn't going to grill me after the shock of Bella's attack, and then asked about my brother, Edward. I explained to everyone what he was up to since he broke up with his girlfriend, the relief that Tanya was out of his life evident in my voice.

"Oh, that's a shame. Bella could have used the company," Rose said, wiggling her eyebrows at the still-blushing girl.

"No thanks, Rose. I just got here, I don't need a man so soon," Bella told her, her voice wavering just a bit.

A look of something… maybe longing… flashed across her face so quickly, I thought maybe I'd imagined it.

Bella then asked why we had been in her bathroom and I felt my face flush slightly, remembering what Jasper and I had just done in her shower.

"Last time I was here, that was the spare room. I used to crash there. I completely forgot that Rose had mentioned getting a roommate, and when I came in and saw all your stuff, I figured it would be okay. I really am sorry to have assumed that," Jasper looked at Bella sincerely when he spoke.

_He's always such a gentlemen! _

We ordered pizza and after Rose paid the pizza man, we sat around the living room swapping family stories for quite a while after that. I felt Jasper tense under me, as I was still curled up in his lap, at the mention of Rosalie's ex, Royce. He had told me what happened between the couple and he had sworn that even though he wasn't a violent man, he _would _kick Royce's ass if they ever crossed paths again.

Finally, Bella got up and bid us all goodnight.

"She's really sweet," Jasper noted to Rose.

"Yeah, she is, isn't she? She just moved in two days ago, and so far, so good," she told us.

"She seems haunted, though," I commented to the siblings.

"How so?" Jasper asked me.

"I don't know. It's her eyes – they look so sad, even when she's laughing. I just feel like she's had something horrible happen to her," I answered.

"She's made a few weird comments about her home life," Rose said. "I'm not sure what happened, but she was in a hurry to get the hell out of Indiana as quick as possible. That's why she's here now, instead of at the end of summer, like I had originally planned. I don't mind, though. It will give us both time to get used to each other before she starts school."

"I think we should do something nice for her. What do you think, Rose?" I asked.

"I don't know – she seems kind of shy. I offered to take her shopping earlier today, and she seemed really uncomfortable with me paying for her," she said, sounding a little disappointed.

"So we'll ambush her tomorrow," I declared.

"Girls, do you really think that's necessary?" Jasper asked. "Couldn't you give her some time to get acquainted with life on her own?"

Rose and I looked at each other and answered, "No," in unison, giggling.

Jasper lifted me off his lap and went to Rose's room to retrieve the air mattress we'd be sleeping on.

"I want to thank you for helping bring my brother out of his shell," Rose told me. "He seems so much happier now."

"How so?" I asked.

"He just kind of survived before. Now he looks like he's living his life," she answered honestly.

"I don't understand," I told Rose. "Why wasn't he happy before?"

"Jasper is kind of… unique," she began. "He's so sensitive, like he feels what others around him are feeling. He kind of takes their pain as his own. He also never really connected to anyone before, I'm not sure why. I remember he told me once that he knew his perfect match was out there, he just had to find her. I really think he has, now," she told me, sincerity etched in her face.

I just smiled and nodded; I really didn't know what to say. My mind was also still on Bella. She would be perfect for Edward, I could feel it – and I was never wrong. Even though I had just met her, I could tell she was his missing piece. Like Rosalie, I wanted my brother to be happy. But just how I would get the two of them together was still a mystery to me.

After Jasper had the air mattress pulled out and filled with air, Rose and I covered it with sheets and she went to bed. As Jasper lay holding me, my mind began working out a plan to get Bella and Edward together.

* * *

**So it had been my plan all along for Alice and Rose to secretly conspire to give Bella a makeover. Originally, I was going to make the beginning of Chapter 5 in APOV, but decided to do this outtake instead! **

**Love it? Hate it? REVIEW! :) **

**Catch me on Twitter! camdengirl09 let me know you're a FF reader, or I might block you.**

**Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in the States!**

**Until next time...**


	7. Chapter 6  Almost Lover

**Hello again! WOW! Another update!**

**You need to thank my betas Marlena516 and SqueakyZorro for the fact that I've been able to update 3 times in about 10 days. They are amazing women, and quickly return my chapters. They keep my commas in check (and the ONE semicolon, lol SZ) and make sure I know where the sun rises! HAHA But seriously, I sent them this chapter 3 times, and they never complained. I love them dearly.**

**Thanks to HockeyChick for keeping me company on Twitter when I'm working at night. Night Owls Rule! :)**

**I haven't even started working on chapter 7 yet, so the update might take a little longer. I figure my betas and I need a small break anyway ;) **

**And for the legal mumbo-jumbo...I don't own Twilight...blah blah blah But in 4 1/2 hours, I'll own ECLIPSE! *happy dance***

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Chapter 6 – Almost Lover

BPOV

The next month whizzed by quickly. I started my job at The Sing-A-Ling and ended up being really good at it. I quickly got over being nervous singing in front of the crowds, actually becoming one of the more popular waitresses there! Some of the other girls were pissed at me, especially Irina's niece, Kate. They were all upset that I made more money than they did in tips, but I didn't care. If they wanted to make more money, then they should step up their game.

Alice and Jasper left the first week of June, and I was honestly sad to see them go. I had become close to both of them, especially Alice, and they both promised to keep in touch. Alice was even going to add me to her Facebook when she got back. I told her it was silly because I never used the website, but she insisted. I logged in once to accept her friend request and haven't looked at it since.

Jasper offered to let me have his Jeep, and I about died! When I told him I couldn't accept such an extravagant gift, he'd shrugged me off, saying that he bought it for the sole purpose of hauling beer and surfboards, and he no longer needed it. He also justified it by pointing out that it was a 2000 model, now eight years old. It wasn't like he was giving me a _new _vehicle. Besides, he had his truck in Chicago. I reluctantly accepted the gift, but I was inwardly thrilled. I loved the Jeep! It was a Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo, hunter green, with gray interior. It was beautiful!

As Bree asked, I limited my calls to her. I now only called once a week, and even then we didn't talk long. Calls from my mother were even more infrequent; she was still pissed at me for moving so far away. But she did keep me updated on Bree, so I was thankful for that. What I _wasn't_ thankful for was Bree getting closer to Riley. That relationship still made me nervous as hell, but Renee assured me everything was perfectly fine.

Quil started hanging around the apartment and coming in to the bar quite a bit, and he was becoming quite a close friend. He took me out and tried to teach me how to surf, or out to the movies on "non-date nights." I was so comfortable with Quil, I was beginning to wonder if I was falling for him. I certainly knew he had feelings for me – it was clear in the looks he gave me and how he'd get jealous sometimes when guys would hit on me when I was at work. On June fifteenth, he asked me to be his girlfriend, and I said yes.

Being Quil's girlfriend was easy. We sat and talked for hours about nothing and everything, and I even told him about Phil. He knew some men who were drag queens, and he took me to meet them one day. Even though they weren't exactly in the same mindset as Phil, their perspective on the situation helped me to understand Phil better, and I felt a little guilty about how I had treated him. It wasn't that I was pissed at Phil for how he felt but rather how he went about it. Lying and sneaking around weren't justifiable to me, no matter the situation. I was honest to a fault, and I expected the people I allowed into my life to be the same way. That was just how I was.

The first time I slept with Quil, I was a nervous wreck. It was the fourth of July, and we had been dating about three weeks. Jake and his girlfriend, Leah, and Sam, Embry, Quil, Rose, and I all went to the Santa Monica Pier to see fireworks, and it was _amazing_. We got there early and ate dinner at a wonderful little Mexican restaurant at the end of the Pier and watched the sunset over the Pacific.

After watching the fireworks, everyone else stayed out to go bar-hopping, so Quil took me back home. We were sitting on the balcony smoking and talking. Then he leaned over and kissed me, and things escalated from there. We ended up on my bed, both shirtless, Quil's hands and mouth exploring my body. He looked to me and silently asked permission to continue further, but I hesitated.

"Are you okay with this, Bella?" he asked sincerely.

"Yes, it's just… I'm not very experienced. What if I'm no good?" I worriedly asked him.

"I think you'll be wonderful," he answered, placing a gentle kiss on my lips.

My mind was racing. I'd only had sex a total of three times, and none of them were what I'd call _wonderful._ Brandon, the only boyfriend I'd had back home, was my first and only lover. The first time hurt like hell and wasn't enjoyable for me at all. The second time wasn't exactly painful, but it was over quickly for him and left me wanting more. The third time was just… well it just was. He got off, I didn't, and shortly after that, he broke up with me. I couldn't help but think that maybe if I had a clue as to what I was doing, he would have stayed. Probably not, since that was the apex of _Phil-Gate 2008, _as I now referred to it. Either way, the situation left me feeling completely self-conscious and unsure of my abilities to please a man. Maybe there was just something wrong with me.

"What are you thinking about?" Quil asked me, pulling me from my musings. "You kind of looked like you checked out there for a second."

"I've only done this three times, and none of them was something to write home about. What if… what if you don't like it?" I asked, my voice cracking from the strain of trying to hold back the tears that were now demanding to be shed.

Quil looked at me lovingly and pushed some hair out of my face. He cupped my cheek and planted a gentle kiss on my lips. "Bella, whoever you were with before obviously didn't know how to take care of _you _before he took care of himself. If you trust me, let me show you what you've been missing," he said softly.

I swallowed my nerves and nodded at him.

To say that that night was amazing would be an understatement. Quil brought me to an earth-shattering orgasm with his fingers and mouth before he even entered me. And when he finally gave all of himself to me, he was slow and gentle, and it _was_ wonderful. He knew just how to move his hips to hit a spot deep inside of me that drove me wild. I came again before he allowed himself to, and we fell asleep curled into each other, totally blissed out.

Over the next week, we were together several times. On the morning of July eleventh, I woke up to Quil peppering my neck and shoulders with urgent kisses and touches. We made love before I even got out of bed for the day and once again in the shower. He clung to me all afternoon and seemed hesitant to let me go to work.

His clingy behavior was unusual and made me a little uncomfortable, and I decided to ask him about it.

"Quil, what's going on?" I asked him as we sat on the balcony drinking coffee.

A worried look crossed his face, and his brow scrunched in concentration. "Bella, I'm moving to New York," he said softly.

I nearly spit my coffee on him.

"You're _what?"_ I shrieked.

"A friend of mine might be able to get me on as a dancer in one of the Broadway shows, and I just _can't _pass this up," he told me urgently.

"So wait… let me get this straight. You're moving to New York because a friend _might _be able to get you a spot as a _backup dancer?"_ I asked him incredulously, unable to wrap my mind around the situation.

"Actually, I'd be a chorus dancer and singer, but yeah," he said.

"So what the hell does this mean for us?" I demanded.

"I don't think a long-distance thing would work," he replied, sighing. "We'll literally be on opposite ends of the country, and with how much work I'll be doing, it will be hard to stay in touch. And that aside, you don't deserve to be here pining over me. You deserve to be out living your life, dating other guys…"

"What if I don't want to date _other _guys, Quil?" I interrupted.

"Bells, you're eighteen. Live it up, girl! We had a great time together, but it's time to move on," he told me, an almost cold tone to his voice.

I was livid. "Get the fuck out of here. Right. Now," I instructed him through clenched teeth.

"Bells… " he started.

"_No!_" I shouted. "Get the fuck up, and get your ass out of my home right goddamned now, or so help me…"

I was seething, and my breathing was shallow and erratic. How _dare _he cast me aside so easily! He was easily one of my closest friends, not to mention my boyfriend, and now he was leaving with just a moment's notice? Fuck that, let him go. I'd find someone else.

"Fine, Bella. If that's what you want, I'll go," he told me, defeat evident in his voice. "Can I call you sometime?"

I snorted. "Tell ya what, Quil. Don't call me, I'll call _you_," I said, holding the patio door open for him to leave.

He just nodded and made his way quietly out my front door. I slumped down in the patio chair and lit another cigarette, my knee bouncing with pent-up nerves. I was pissed, hurt, and just wanted to hit something. Luckily, I had learned my lesson once before; don't hit walls. They break your hand.

"Hey, everything okay out here?" I heard Rose ask from the doorway.

"Everything's fucking wonderful," I told her sarcastically.

She came out on the patio and sat down in the seat Quil had just vacated. "Care to talk about it?" she asked.

"Quil's fucking moving to New York," I told her, refusing to make eye contact.

She just nodded and looked at me with sympathy in her eyes. She didn't look surprised at all.

_What the fuck?_

"Did you know about this?" I asked her, not wanting to believe that she had kept something like this from me.

"Yeah, sorry, I did," she admitted.

"What the fuck, Rose? Why didn't you tell me?" I asked, my leg bouncing more furiously.

"He told Jake and me on the fourth and asked us not to tell you. He wanted to tell you himself," she answered, looking ashamed. "I'm sorry, I should have warned you."

"No, it's not your fault, Rose…" I began, and then I remembered something. "Wait, you said he told you on July _fourth?_"

"Yeah, why?" she asked, looking completely confused.

"That son of a bitch!" I screamed. "That was the first night we slept together! Isn't that nice? He knew he was leaving, yet got me to sleep with him – repeatedly! What an asshole!"

"Wow, that was a dick move on his part. I'm sorry, Bella, I had thought he would have told you by now," Rose said and put a comforting hand on mine.

I lit another cigarette and started pacing the small balcony. "Jesus, I'm an idiot, aren't I?" I asked, letting out a small, humorless laugh.

"No, not at all. Why would you think that?" she asked me.

"I fell for his smooth bullshit. I liked the way he would let me talk to him about whatever was on my mind; he took his time and never pressured me to sleep with him. Then, when he got what he wanted, he split. Fucking typical guy shit," I muttered angrily, still pacing.

"Do you think he even gave a shit about me?" I asked Rose after I'd stopped pacing, sitting back down in my chair.

"Yes, it was obvious that he cared about you, Bella. Do I think that you two loved each other? No. But from what he told Jake and me, he has a really wonderful opportunity to break into Broadway. You know that's his dream, don't you?"

I nodded my head. I did know that. He'd told me many times how much he wanted to be on Broadway. But that still didn't give him permission to use me the way he did.

"Do you think I was wrong to cuss at him then kick him out?" I asked Rose.

"Not really. What he did was pretty disgusting," she answered.

"Fuck this, he's going to explain himself to me," I said, rising from my chair and entering the house.

I dialed Quil's number and was surprised when he answered on the second ring. I figured he wouldn't answer at all after what I'd said to him.

"Just who in the hell do you think you are?" I asked, angrily, not even bothering to say hello.

"Well, hello to you, too," he responded, irritation evident in his voice.

"Did you know last week that you were moving to New York?" I inquired, cutting right to the chase.

I was met with silence.

"Tell me, Quil! Did…you…know…last…week?" I asked slowly.

He sighed heavily. "Yes, I knew last week," he admitted.

"And you told all our friends, but not me?"

"Yes," was his brilliant answer.

This pissed me off even more. "So you thought it was okay to fucking sleep with me, knowing you were leaving? What's wrong with you? I thought we were friends! Apparently, I was nothing more than someone to have sex with!" I shouted into the phone.

"No, no, Bella. You meant more to me than that. You're special to me," he told me.

"Bullshit! Special? I was 'special'? Whatever, Quil. Just do me a favor, don't bother ever calling me again. If you're in town, don't come see me. Just act as though we never met. I don't exist to you, got it?" I angrily spat at him.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry," he admitted, defeated.

_He's sorry? Sorry, my ass!_

"For what it's worth, fuck you," I fired back at him, and hung up the phone.

_Fucking men! Ugh!

* * *

_

Three days later, I was abruptly awakened by Rose, screaming and jumping on my bed. "BELLA! BEEELLLAAAA! WAKE! UP!"

"What the hell, Rose? You know I had to close the bar last night. Can't you let me sleep a while longer?" I asked grumpily. I looked over to the clock and saw that it was just barely nine.

"C'mon, get up! I have some amazing news!" Rose cheerfully demanded.

Rubbing the sleep from my eyes and stretching, I cracked one eye open a bit to see Rose bouncing on the balls of her feet, a massive grin plastered on her perfect face.

_She reminds me of Alice the day we went shopping._

"Okay, Rose, what's so amazing that you had to wake me up after only getting barely four hours of sleep?" I asked, sitting up against the headboard and yawning.

"My agent just called – I got booked! I have a job, a photo shoot! Can you believe it?" she asked me excitedly.

"Wow, that's great, Rose! I'm so happy for you," I told her, starting to feel enthusiastic. I was so proud of her!

"Yeah, apparently they hired Jake, and he said he would only work with me, that sneaky little shit. So my agent sent them my pictures, and boom! I'm hired!" she shrieked.

"Awesome! Who's it for?" I asked, getting more and more interested.

"Michael Kors' Winter Line. He has a ready-to-wear catalog on Style dot com and they were looking for models! Jake and I fly to New York on Friday!" she squealed.

"_What is it with everyone I know migrating to New York?" _I groused with myself_. Ugh! _

"Shit, Rose, that's only four more days. How long are you going to be gone?" I asked.

"Should only be a few days. A week, tops. Are you going to be okay here all alone?" she asked worriedly.

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine," I assured her.

She sat back down on my bed, shaking from excitement. "Oh my God! I'm going to New York!"

* * *

The rest of the week flew by, and before I knew it, I was taking Rose to LAX to board her flight to New York.

"Remember," she started, taking her bag out of the Jeep, "if you need _anything_, Laurent is down stairs and Jake and Sam are just a phone call away."

"I'll be fine. Stop worrying," I told her, letting out a small laugh. "Now go, you don't want to miss your flight." She gave me a tight hug and disappeared into the airport.

I went home and went through my usual routine. I showered and curled the ends of my hair and put on just a light touch of makeup on my eyes. I grabbed the outfit Rose had picked out for me - she said she didn't trust me to dress to impress without her home - and got dressed. Heading out for work, I couldn't help but feel it was going to be a good night.

When I got to The Sing-A-Ling, it was already busy. Being mid-July, students were starting to filter back into the area, as classes at UCLA started August twenty-fifth. I walked up to DJ Felix and told him I was feeling nineties's music tonight and to adjust my song list accordingly. Felix liked to play music roulette with my song list, always trying to find a song that stumped me. The other waitresses wouldn't let him mess with them like that, but I enjoyed showing off my vast knowledge of music.

_Call me an attention whore; I don't care. Kate already does._

I clocked in and made rounds through my section, making sure everyone's drinks were okay. I arrived at a booth where a man sitting alone. My attention was on the stage; a woman was butchering _Hand In My Pocket, _and it was making my skin crawl.

"Rum and Coke, please," the man in the booth said. His voice was soft and velvety, and it made my girly bits tingle slightly. I turned to look at him and was met with the most amazing pair of green eyes I'd ever seen. Even in the dim light of the bar, they shined like two emeralds under his dark eyelashes. His hair was dark brown, with what appeared to be copper highlights in it, and was in a sexy disarray.

_Hmm, he's got sex hair. Yes, please!_

"I'm… I'm sorry, what was that?" I stuttered.

_Smooth, Bella. Real fucking smooth._

He just smiled and said, "Rum and Coke, please."

"Sure, coming right up," I told him.

I made my way back to the bar and ordered the man's drink. "You look flustered," Irina said from behind the bar.

"Shit, sorry," I apologized. "This is going to sound so childish, but see the guy in booth five?" I pointed to where the rum and Coke guy was sitting.

"Yeah," Irina said, smirking.

"He's fucking gorgeous. It just kind of threw me," I admitted, the heat of a blush warming my cheeks.

Irina's smirk grew. "Yeah, Julie was serving him before you came in and said she needed to change her underwear."

My jaw hit the bar. Hearing something like that out of Irina's mouth was unexpected.

"Flirt a little. Maybe he'll leave a big tip," she said, winking and handing me his drink.

I rolled my eyes and made my way back to his booth. I might have added a bit of swing to my hips. Maybe.

"Here ya go, rum and Coke. Is that cash or charge?" I asked, setting his drink on the table.

"Cash," he replied.

"In that case, it'll be seven dollars," I told him, smirking a little.

"Here ya go," he said, handing me a ten-dollar bill. "Keep the change."

"Thanks..." I trailed off, trying to get him to tell me his name.

He hesitated, and then answered, "Anthony."

"Well, thanks, Anthony. I'll be here the rest of the night. Just let me know if you need anything."

"Will do…" he trailed off, using my own tactic against me.

"Bella," I answered and walked away.

Again, there may have been some ass swaying. Maybe.

* * *

"Everyone give Sara a round of applause," I heard Felix say. "And up next, we have one of our waitresses, Bella. Come on up here, Bella!"

I made my way through the crowd to the stage and looked at the monitor to see what Felix had in store for me.

"_I Want You? _Really, Felix?" I asked, shaking my head.

"Think you can keep up?" he challenged.

"I think I can manage," I answered, winking. Little did he know, Savage Garden is one of my sister's favorite bands, and she and I used to compete with each other to see who could actually make it through the fast-paced song.

_Anytime I need to see your face__  
__I just close my eyes__  
__And I am taken to a place where your crystal mind and__  
__Magenta feelings take up shelter in the base of my spine__  
__Sweet like a chica cherry cola__  
_

I took a quick breath, readied for the second verse and threw a quick smirk to Felix over my shoulder.

_I don't need to try to explain;__  
__I just hold on tight__  
__And if it happens again, I might move so slightly__  
__To the arms and the lips and the face of the human cannonball__  
__That I need to, I want to_

I took the mic off the stand and started dancing around the stage a little.

_Come stand a little bit closer__  
__Breathe in and get a bit higher__  
__You'll never know what hit you__  
__When I get to you_

When I got to the chorus, I couldn't help but search out Anthony. We locked eyes, and I shamelessly sang to him,

_Ooh, I want you__  
__I don't know if I need you__  
__But, ooh, I'd die to find out__  
__Ooh, I want you__  
__I don't know if I need you__  
__But, ooh I would die to find out_

By the time I had finished the song, several people were up near the stage dancing and Anthony was sitting in his booth, smirking. Felix just looked stunned.

"Everyone, give Bella a big hand! That was quite a performance!" Felix bellowed.

I walked over to him and leaned over the DJ booth. "Don't fuck with a girl who has a teenage sister obsessed with hot Australians," I taunted.

"Well done, Swan. Well done," he said, pretending to bow down to me.

_Damn right – bow, bitch! _I gloated inwardly.

I made my way through my section gathering drink orders, ending up at Anthony's table. "Care for a refill?" I asked.

"Yes, please. And Bella," he said, touching my arm lightly. The spot where our skin connected tingled and sent vibrations straight to my core. "That really was pretty awesome."

"Thanks," I said, blushing and leaving to get his drink. _Thank God it's dark in here! I'd hate for him to see me lit up like a Christmas tree light!_

The night wore on, but Anthony never left. Sometime around nine, he switched to regular Coke. I assumed he was driving.

Felix had me sing _Bitch _by Meredith Brooks in an attempt to get me back for knowing _I Want You _so well. I also busted out some _Jeremy, _because Pearl Jam is still one of my favorite bands of all time.

Felix announced last call at three, as usual, and the bar started to clear out. All but Anthony.

"Sorry man, but ya gotta go," I told him, clearing the glasses from his table. "Do you need me to call you a cab?"

"No, I'm okay. Actually…Well…" he fumbled, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck. "I was wondering if you wanted to grab something to eat. I'm starving, and I assume you are, too."

"Um," I stalled. Was it really a good idea to leave with a man I didn't know? He didn't seem like a psycho, but then again, neither did Ted Bundy.

"I'm not sure if that's such a good idea," I told him.

As if he knew what I was thinking, he quickly said, "I'm not a killer or rapist, I can assure you. But yes, I realize that if I was, I would probably say that. We can go somewhere busy so you don't feel weird."

He was rambling. It was adorable.

Against my better judgment, I agreed, but only if we drove separately.

_Charlie would kill me if he knew I did this!_

I had him follow me out to the Pier, and we went to the Mexican restaurant I had gone to on the fourth. They had amazing food and were open late to accommodate the bar crowds. When we got there, it was busy, but not crowded, and we found a booth against a wall with a large window.

Dinner, or breakfast…whatever, was nice. Small talk wasn't hard for us; in fact, conversation flowed freely. I found out he had a younger sister and that he was from Washington State. He wasn't living in California, just passing through on a last-minute vacation. He was a music major and getting ready to start his third year of college – though he didn't say where – and his twenty-second birthday had just passed in June. He didn't give specifics, but neither did I. Why open yourself up to a stranger who could use that information against you?

After eating, we stood outside the restaurant, and I noticed the sun was coming up.

"Well, I should go. I need to get home and in bed. I have to work again tonight," I told him.

_Why did I say that?_

_Do I want him to come in again?_

_Yes, yes, I do!_

"Okay. Well, I might see you around again. Are you okay getting home?" he asked.

"Yep, no problem," I answered. "Thanks for dinner, or whatever. It was nice."

He smiled. _God, that was one sexy smile!_ "It was good to meet you," he said, blushing just a bit.

"You, too. Goodnight, Anthony."

"Goodnight, Bella."

I drove home on cloud nine.

* * *

Anthony came in to the bar like clockwork for the next six nights, followed by meals together after my shift. I told Rose all about him when she called on Wednesday.

"That's awesome, B," she said excitedly. "Did you get a pic of him to drool over for after he leaves?"

"Actually, I hadn't thought of it," I replied. "Maybe I'll sneak one, if I see him again tonight."

"Right on. I want to see if you do," she told me, fake scolding me.

"Yes, ma'am," I said, laughing.

An hour after my shift started, Anthony came in.

Again, after my shift, we went out to eat. This time, we just stopped at a hot dog vendor by the beach. It was a very warm night, being mid-July, and we both wanted to relax by the ocean. The vendor's cart was parked under a security lamp and was lit from the inside. I took my phone out, and, pretending to check a text message, snapped a quick picture of Anthony. It was a good one; his face was turned slightly toward me, and he had a smile on his face. The light was just right. It was beautiful.

"So, when are you leaving?" I asked, as we ate our hot dogs on the beach. Sand was making its way up my pant legs, but right then, I couldn't have cared less.

"Tomorrow, actually," he told me, after swallowing his bite.

My heart sank in my chest. The last six nights of hanging out with him had been fun and effortless. And I might have developed a bit of a crush on him. Maybe. Just a little.

"Oh," was all I could manage to say.

"You know, it's been really fun hanging out with you, Bella. Before I came out here, I had just broken up with my long-time girlfriend and was feeling pretty mopey. You cheered me up. Thanks," he said, looking at me.

The moonlight on his face was stunning. I couldn't help myself; I leaned over and kissed him. It was just a quick, chaste kiss on his warm, soft lips, but it was enough to set my stomach all aflutter.

I pulled back, embarrassed. "Sorry. I don't know what I was thinking," I told him, hiding my face in my hands.

His only reply was to pull me to him and kiss me again. I felt his warm tongue tracing my bottom lip, requesting permission to deepen the kiss, so I parted my lips and allowed him. After a couple of minutes, we came up for air.

"Wow," Anthony said, panting a bit.

"Yeah," I remarked, blushing and pushing a piece of hair behind my ear, studying the sand. It was suddenly very interesting.

"Hey," he said, putting a finger under my chin, forcing me to look at him. His beautiful green eyes were dark with desire. "You don't have to hide from me."

"I'm sorry. I don't know what's gotten into me tonight," I told him quietly.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. That was… wow," he said again with a small chuckle.

"Well, uh, it's getting late. I'm sure you want to get back so you don't miss your flight," I said, standing up and brushing the sand off my ass.

"Actually, I'm driving," he informed me, brushing sand off his perfect ass as well.

_Damn, he's got a nice ass! How did I not notice that before?_

"Oh," was my brilliant reply.

He grabbed my hand and led me off the beach. Suddenly, I was very sad he was leaving. It would have been nice if he lived out here so we could have seen where this went. It might have only been six days, but I felt like I'd known him for six years.

Anthony led me to his car. "Holy shit, you've got a Shelby!" I screamed excitedly.

"You know this car?" he asked, sounding completely surprised.

"Yeah, my friend Emmett is a huge Nicolas Cage fan; one of his favorite movies is _Gone in 60 Seconds._ This car's name was Eleanor in the movie."

"Impressive. My dad and I found this in the paper when I was fourteen. The body was rusted and the engine needed a ton of work. My uncle owns a garage, so Dad said I could have the car for free if I helped him restore it. By the time I turned sixteen, she was fully restored, repainted, and ready to roll. She's been my pride and joy ever since," he told me.

"That's awesome. My stepdad and mom bought me a beat-up Chevy truck that still looks and sounds like it's on its deathbed. It ended up being the senior mechanic's class project at my high school, so most of the parts are used. But she's my baby, too, so I get it," I offered, telling him more about my actual life than I had all week.

"Cool," he replied. "Look, I really do need to get going. I enjoyed spending time with you, Bella. Take care of yourself," he said, leaning down and kissing me again.

He pulled away and got into his car. I stood there as he left, watching until his tail lights couldn't be seen anymore.

I breathed a heavy sigh. "Goodbye, Anthony," I whispered to myself.

* * *

I woke up around noon on Thursday to the ringing of my cell. It was Rose.

"I got that pic you sent. Shit, he's hot! Good job, B." She congratulated me like I'd won some sort of prize.

"Told ya," I said sleepily, rolling out of bed.

"So what's Mr. Hot Shit up to today?" she asked.

"He's gone," I said, my voice giving away just how sad I was.

"Sorry, B," Rose said sincerely.

"It's okay. We did make out on the beach before he left, though," I teased.

"Are you kidding me? Spill," she demanded.

I told her all about last night with Anthony.

"Aww, that's so sweet, Bella," Rose said in a wistful tone. "Totally romantic."

"Yeah, it was. Too bad he's gone," I pouted.

"You never know, maybe fate will bring you together again?" she offered.

"I doubt that," I replied glumly.

Deep inside, though, I really hoped she was right. I'd give anything to be able to spend more time with Anthony.

* * *

_Your fingertips across my skin_

_The palm trees swaying in the wind images_

_You sang me Spanish lullabies_

_The sweetest sadness in your eyes clever trick_

_Well I'd never want to see you unhappy_

_I thought you'd want the same for me_

_Goodbye my almost lover_

_Goodbye my hopeless dream_

_I'm trying not to think about you_

_Can't you just let me be?_

**~*~ Almost Lover; A Fine Frenzy ~*~**

**

* * *

**

**So what do you guys think? Quil's a dick, huh? Bet ya didn't see that coming! What about Anthony? What's up with him? **

**Thank you so much to everyone who reads, favorites, and reviews. I've discovered reviews are like crack, and I'm an addict!**

**Come play with me on Twitter! camdengirl09 is how you can find me! **

**Um..I think that's about it...**

**Until next time...**


	8. Chapter 7  Lies

**Hello again! Sorry for the delay, But I had finals last week, so I spent the week before studying like my life depended on it! If all goes well, I'll only have 3 more months until I graduate! YEAH!**

**Thanks to SqueakyZorro and Marela516 from PTB for being the most amazing betas EVER! I know every author says that, but really, these two rock my socks! They catch all my (many) comma errors, offer great advice, and even make me laugh. (There's a spot where SZ thinks a certain male sounds like Homer Simpson. Can YOU find it?) I love ya, ladies, and hope you have wonderful holidays!**

**Thanks to Hockey_Chick for being my Twitter BFF and being such a huge supporter for this story!**

****This chapter is a long one, as I tend to do. So I have a question for you guys: do you prefer the longer chapters, or the shorter ones? Can I can start to cut these down a bit, if y'all need me to. ****

**I don't own Twilight, but according to my husband, I sometimes says Edward's name in my sleep! OOPS! LOL**

**Ok, on with it...**

* * *

**Chapter 7 – Lies**

_**Alice POV**_

The first night I met Bella, I just _knew _she'd be perfect for Edward. He said that he loved Tanya, that she was _the one; _but his smile hadn't reached his eyes in a long time, his laugh just wasn't as hearty. I honestly thought splitting with Tanya was the best thing for him. Now I just had to think of a way to get Bella and Edward together.

This wasn't going to be easy. Both were stubborn, independent people. It might be hard for them to come around to my way of thinking.

The day in the spa, I had taken a picture of Bella outside in the sunshine after her makeover. She looked beautiful. I sent it to Edward when she wasn't paying attention, but I'm not sure if he even had his phone on, because he never texted me back.

In the days that followed, I took random pictures of Bella and sent them to Edward, or I sent him little things about her that I was learning and thought he would like about her. He never responded to any of my texts, except for once, to tell me to leave him alone. That was why I was shocked to get a call from him on July fourth.

Jasper and I were headed out to Grant Park to see the fireworks, when Edward's ringtone went off.

"Where the hell have you been, and why haven't you answered any of my texts?" was my greeting to my stubborn brother.

He let out a small laugh. "Hello, nice to hear from you, too, Tink," he replied.

_I hate when he calls me Tinkerbell!_

I let out an irritated sigh. "Oh, Edward, I missed you _so_ much! How are you, brother, dear?" I asked sarcastically.

"That's much better," was his smug reply.

"So really, what did I do right for you to so graciously call me, for once?" I asked, rolling my eyes as Jasper just smiled at my frustration.

"I was…well…I was wondering about your friend, actually," he stuttered.

_Wow, Edward doesn't stutter much. Maybe this means he wants to meet her!_

"Well, what about her?" I asked.

"I…I don't know. You said she's in Santa Monica, right?"

"Yes, she lives there with Jasper's sister, Rosalie," I answered him.

"Does she have a boyfriend or anything?" he asked nervously.

"Actually, yes, she does. They haven't been dating long, though. Why?"

"I don't know. I mean, I was kind of thinking about going down there and maybe seeing her," he admitted.

My inner self was happy dancing. He wanted to meet Bella!

"Wait…going _down _there? Where _are _you?" I asked, confused.

"I'm at the house in Forks," he told me.

"How long have you been there?" I asked, suddenly angry. If he had been there the whole time, why didn't he go down to Santa Monica and see me when I was there?

"Since I left Chicago, actually," he said.

"What?" I shrieked, making Jasper cringe in his seat from the shrill pitch of my voice. I looked at him and mouthed, "I'm sorry."

"Why didn't you tell me you were there? Why didn't you answer any of my texts? If you were that close, you could have gone down and met Bella while I was there," I told him.

"I wasn't ready yet, Ali," he replied. "I needed time to think and clear my head. Truth be told, for the first week or two that I was here, I didn't even turn my cell on."

"Did Mom know you were there? Is that why she didn't seem very worried?" I asked.

"Yes. She and Dad knew where I went. I had to get the keys from them," he answered.

Honestly, I was a little hurt. Mom and Dad knew where he was, and didn't tell me. They knew I was worried about him. I'd be speaking to those two traitors later.

I sighed heavily. "Well, since you're in Forks, did you know that Chief Swan is Bella's dad?" I asked him.

"No, I didn't know that."

"Yeah, small world, huh? Just think, if she would have gone to visit her dad more often, we could have met her years ago," I told him.

"Yeah, that's kind of funny," he replied, not sounding at all amused.

"Look, Edward, I gotta go. We're about to pull into the Millennium Garage, and reception sucks down there. Can I call you back tomorrow?" I asked.

"Yeah, that's fine. Tell Jasper I say hello, and I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Okay. Bye, Edward. Happy fourth."

"Yep," was his brilliant reply, then he hung up.

"What was that all about?" Jasper asked.

"He wanted to know about Bella, but the idiot didn't know what he wanted to ask," I answered, exasperated.

Jasper chuckled. "Cut your brother some slack. It's been a rough few weeks for him," he said, a warm smile planted firmly on his beautiful face. I sighed, realizing he thought my machinations were a little over the top.

We found a parking space and made our way into Grant Park to enjoy the rest of the evening.

Over the next few days, I had several conversations with Edward about Bella. I didn't tell him anything too personal about her; she had told me those things in confidence. But I could tell him small, slightly superficial details about her, and that's apparently what he wanted.

I kept asking if he was going to travel to California to see her, but his answer was always, "I don't know." I decided not to push him too much, or he'd get pissed and likely back off entirely. He also kept asking me what I'd told Bella about him. My answers were never good enough for him; he was worried that I had painted him in a bad light to her. I tried to reassure him that I hadn't done that, that I thought they would be good together, and I wouldn't ruin his chances by telling her crap about him. Personally, I thought he was ashamed of the fact that he had stayed with Tanya for so long, even though it was clear to everyone that they really weren't working out.

I hadn't heard from Edward for over a week when I got Rose's picture text. What I saw on the screen of my pink Blackberry made my blood boil.

* * *

_**EPOV**_

I had been dating Tanya since sophomore year. At first, I thought I was the luckiest bastard alive; she was thin, had amazingly long, sexy legs, and her laugh made my insides melt. The way she looked at me went straight to my dick each and every time. I wasn't a huge jock, but I ran track and played piano in my high school's orchestra. I was fairly popular, but I think that had more to do with the fact that Alice was popular. Funny that my _younger _sister's popularity helped me out since it was usually the other way around. Whatever the reason, Tanya, head cheerleader, wanted me. And I was in heaven. At first.

The summer between our junior and senior year, Tanya and I first started having problems. We were talking about colleges we were going to apply to when we had the first of many fights. I had wanted to apply to Julliard, and Tanya wanted me to go to the University of Illinois and study medicine. She said musicians ended up poor and lived in shitty, rundown apartments while doctors lived in giant houses and have dinner parties. When I asked where she was planning on going to school, she said that she wouldn't have to go to school if I would just be a doctor. Apparently, her aspiration was to be a trophy wife. To make matters worse, my father, Carlisle, was dropping hints that he wanted me to go into medicine as well. He was a leading pediatric oncologist at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago, his brother was an emergency room surgeon, and I knew he would be thrilled if I followed in their footsteps. But medicine never interested me – music did. Why couldn't he and Tanya see that? Luckily, Alice and my mother, Esme, were on my side. Mom smoothed things over with Dad, and Alice…well Alice relished jumping down Tanya's throat any time she brought it up. Alice had never liked Tanya, so if she had a valid reason to tell her off, she took it.

Tanya and I had several fights about college all through senior year, but eventually my dad got off my back as well, and I applied to the University of Illinois with a major in music and a minor in education. Why education? Because no one appreciated _real _music anymore, that was why. If I could just convince even one child that the noise on the radio wasn't real music, then I'd done my job. Tanya applied at U of I as well, majoring in liberal arts. In other words, she was majoring in nothing.

We really pulled away from each other during our senior year of high school. She was hanging out with her friends more and I hung out with mine. We went to the Winter Dance, Homecoming, and Prom together, mainly out of obligation. I was surprised when she and I won Prom Queen and King, but she wasn't. She said she was the natural pick for queen, and since I was her boyfriend, I would be picked king. Yippee, I was prom king. _Super. _

After graduation, I took her on a three-week trip to Key West, Florida, hoping we would be able to reconnect again. That didn't happen. Instead, I caught her making out with a guy on the beach. I took a flight home a few hours later; I couldn't have cared less how she got home. She stayed the duration of our reservation since _I _had already paid for it, and she called me when she got home – twelve days later. Tanya bawled and apologized and said how stupid she had been. She said we had been dating so long, sometimes she worried that she wasn't living enough. I gave her an out; I told her we could break up right then and there, but she refused. She promised it would never happen again, and like a fool, I believed her.

That was three years ago. When I caught her fucking another man in her bed, the bed I had made love to her in countless times, I snapped. I shouted at the both of them, called Tanya a heartless whore, and stormed out. I ignored her calls and texts, only answering once to tell her it was over for good and that I was sorry for calling her a whore (even if it was true).

For the first few days after our breakup, I was just numb. Mom tried to get me to talk about it, but I didn't want to talk. Alice was kind enough not to say "I told you so." To be honest, I wasn't shocked I had caught her. In fact, I had suspected she was screwing around for years; I was just too much of a pussy to dump her on her deceitful ass. I think more than anything I was just embarrassed that she had made a fool of me.

I couldn't stay in the apartment Alice and I shared, seeing her strut around with her boyfriend, Jasper, being all happy and shit. I needed to get out of town and clear my head. I asked Mom and Dad if I could borrow the keys for our Forks house, and they readily agreed. I pulled out a few thousand dollars from my trust fund account and headed to Washington.

My mother was amazing. She called ahead and had the housekeeper stock the kitchen with groceries and air out the house. When I got there, my piano was polished and tuned, just waiting for me to take my frustration out on it. I played for hours a day. When I wasn't playing, I was hiking through the woods, working out in the home gym Mom had in the basement, or hanging out on First Beach down at La Push. I just needed some time to myself to think and relax.

The day after my first conversation with Alice about Bella, I ran into Chief Swan at the small diner in town. I was feeling lazy and decided I wanted someone else to cook my food for me that night. I had just sat down at a stool at the counter when he walked in.

"Hello, Mr. Cullen," the Chief's deep voice said from next to me.

"Evening, Chief," I greeted, shaking his hand.

"What are you doing up here so early in the summer? Did your dad finally take the job at General?" he asked with a slight laugh.

Forks General Hospital was always trying to get my father on their staff. Being such a small town, they had trouble keeping doctors of Carlisle's quality.

"No, sir, Dad's still at Children's Memorial. I just needed a break from the city, so I came up here," I answered honestly.

"I don't blame you there, son," he said, clamping a hand down on my shoulder. "Care to join me? One of my deputies was going to come, but he got called out on an animal attack."

"Uh, sure," I answered, unsure as to why he was offering. In all our time spent up here, I had had limited interaction with Chief Swan. He was always friendly, though, calling everyone by name when he saw them. Hell, he was even friendly when I was seventeen and he gave me my first speeding ticket.

I followed him to a booth and sat across from him, fidgeting with the menu in nervousness.

"So, Edward," he began, "how's college going?"

I tore my eyes away from the menu to see him looking directly at me, all trace of authority gone from his features, like we were just two old friends shooting the shit over dinner.

"Good, sir. I'm about to begin my junior year at the University of Illinois," I told him.

He nodded his head. "You make good grades?" he asked.

"Yes, sir. I'm one of the top of my class," I answered, my chest swelling with pride. I was third in my class in high school, and I studied my ass off to stay near the top in college as well.

"That's great to hear, good job," he praised. "My daughter, Bella, is about to begin her freshman year at UCLA. In fact, she recently met your sister, Alice. Did you know that?"

"Yes, I actually found that out yesterday. From what Ali says, she's roommates with Rosalie, who is Alice's boyfriend's sister," I said.

"Yes, that's what Bella said as well. Small world, isn't it?" he asked with a smirk on his face.

"Yeah, it is," I agreed.

Our conversation was interrupted by the waitress taking our orders. When she left, I started messing with the napkin in front of me, unsure of what to say next. Chief Swan was a kind man, but he was also slightly intimidating.

"So, Edward, what's your major?" he asked suddenly.

"My major is in music and I minor in education," I answered.

Again, he just nodded. "Bella's minor is education as well. Isn't that a coincidence?" he asked.

"Yes, sir, it is," I said, puzzled as to where this conversation was going.

"Have you ever met Bella before?" he asked.

"No, sir, I haven't. But Alice said she's really smart and a lot of fun," I told him. A small smile pulled at my lips as I thought of the picture Alice had texted me of Bella. She was on a sidewalk in front of a salon and looked radiant in the afternoon sun.

"I haven't spent as much time with her as I'd like, but I'd have to agree with your sister. Bella's a great girl. She's had a rough couple of years, but she's a trooper and came out stronger on the other side."

The proud look in his eyes when he talked about Bella was beautiful, and from what little I knew about her, I couldn't blame him. I wondered what hard times she'd gone through but was too afraid to pry. Maybe I could get Alice to tell me later.

Our food came, and the conversation halted after that. Chief Swan was not a man to mix words with his food.

When we were finished eating, he insisted on paying for my meal. My parents taught me respect, so I allowed it, even though it did feel a little weird. We shook hands and went our separate ways. I was left feeling slightly odd about our encounter.

* * *

After talking with Alice for a few days about Bella, and seeing more pictures of her, I made up my mind: I was going to Santa Monica.

I thought it would be fun to drive to California, and then take my car back home with me. I had my car in Forks since the previous year's spring break, when Tanya and I had driven it there together. But we had had a huge fight, and neither of us thought we could handle the three-day drive together. We had flown back home, and my car had stayed in Forks.

My 1989 Shelby Mustang GT500 was my baby. Tanya bitched about it constantly, but I didn't care. The car meant more to me than she did, and truth be told, I had missed the car more than I missed her.

Two days before I left, I took the Shelby to a garage in La Push for a tune up and oil change. I packed my bags, made a call to the housekeeper to let her know I was leaving, and left the day the car came out of the shop. I didn't even tell Alice or my parents where I was going. I just left.

The drive was a pleasant one. It was long, over twenty hours when it was done, but I took my time and got there in time to check into the hotel by noon on July eighteenth. When I got to my room, I collapsed onto the soft bed. I didn't even realize I had fallen asleep until I woke up starving. I rolled over and looked at the alarm clock on the bedside table. The red numbers glowing back at me let me know that it was nearly six o'clock and that if I didn't get up and showered soon, I wouldn't make it down to where Bella worked before she did.

I quickly showered, shaved, and ordered room service. I was done and out the door by seven-thirty and at the bar Bella worked at by eight.

The bar was pretty busy when I got there, and I had been sitting in the booth long enough for one drink and for the waitress to flirt with me a little, when I first saw Bella. She came breezing into the bar, chatting with other customers and smiling warmly while taking their orders. Some she seemed to know better than others, but she was genuinely kind to all of them.

Onstage, a woman was completely butchering Alanis Morrissette's _Hand In My Pocket_, and I saw Bella cringe a bit as the woman hit a sour note.

"Rum and Coke, please," I told her, trying to get her attention.

She turned and looked at me, and I saw a blush creep its way onto her face as we made eye contact. Her dark brown eyes were far more beautiful than in the pictures, and the sight of her perfect body made my cock stand at attention. She was slender, but she had slightly curvy hips and perfect breasts.

_Hmm, I bet they're about a handful. Shit! Stop thinking about her tits! _

"I'm…I'm sorry, what was that?" she asked, flustered. I couldn't help but think maybe I was having the same effect on her that she was having on me.

I smiled and repeated my order.

"Sure, coming right up," she told me, then hurried off to the bar. As she made her way to the bar to get my drink, I stared at her as, and my God, it a nice ass!

Thoughts of her naked were trying to creep their way into my conscience, and I fought like hell to keep them at bay. If she saw me sitting here sporting a serious hard-on, not knowing who I was, she would most likely freak out. Alice had told me about what she had done to Jasper, and I did not look forward to a Bella beat-down.

That presented another problem – Bella didn't know who I was. Or at least, she didn't appear to. Alice had just gotten a new phone before she left for California with Jasper and didn't have any pictures of me on it, so Bella didn't know what I looked like. On top of that, I didn't know what Alice had said about me to Bella. Had she made me sound like a pussy for taking Tanya's shit for so long? Would she hate that I was a music major and not a doctor, like Tanya had? She'd just broken up with her boyfriend, and we lived thousands of miles away; would she even be interested in me? After all I'd heard about her, and after seeing her beautiful face, I was certainly interested in her. But logically, we couldn't start a relationship. Maybe we could be friends, though. I was contemplating all this when Bella returned with my drink.

"Here ya go, rum and Coke. Is that cash or charge?" she asked sweetly, setting my drink on the table.

"Cash," I replied.

"In that case, it'll be seven dollars," she told me, smirking a little.

"Here ya go," I said, handing her a ten-dollar bill. "Keep the change."

"Thanks..." she trailed off. It was obvious she was fishing for my name.

I panicked. Should I tell her who I was? Would she think I was some sort of weird stalker for coming to see her? My mind was racing and for some inexplicable reason, I told her my name was Anthony.

It wasn't a complete lie; my middle name was Anthony.

"Well, thanks, Anthony. I'll be here the rest of the night. Just let me know if you need anything," she said.

"Will do…" I trailed, trying to get her to tell me her name so I didn't seem so stalkerish. If I just had said "Okay, Bella," she would have known something was up, because she wasn't wearing a name tag.

"Bella," she answered and walked away.

I watched her swaying her perfect ass, and my dick got impossibly harder.

_This is going to be a long night!_

_

* * *

_

Later that night, Bella sang a couple of songs. I was utterly impressed when she whipped right through Savage Garden's _I Want You._ That was easily one of the fastest-sung songs I've ever heard, and she never faltered once. A few times I caught her staring right at me, like she was singing the song only to me. The look on her face mixed with the words "_Ohh I Want You_" was just too much, and I almost had to go to the bathroom to relieve my raging hard-on. There must have been some sort of competition between Bella and the DJ, because they had quite the exchange when she was finished, which Bella left smirking.

After her brilliant performance, she made her way through her section again, taking drink orders. When she got back to me, I ordered another rum and Coke. Before she left my table, I couldn't help myself; I had to touch her. I reached out and grabbed her hand and told her that I thought she had done an awesome job. The tingles that shot through my hand and up my arm at that simple touch were enough to make me almost jizz in my pants. Bella was amazing, and I instantly felt guilty for giving her the wrong name. Maybe I could get her to come out with me after her shift, and I could explain everything then.

It seemed the DJ got his revenge later, as he had Bella sing Meredith Brooks' _Bitch. _She was adorable through the song. Every time she sang the line "_I'm a bitch_…" she'd shoot a smirk at the DJ. But when she sang _Jeremy, _I almost begged her to marry me right then and there. Pearl Jam was my favorite of all grunge rock bands, and she sang it with such a sultry voice, it was fucking sexy as hell.

I stayed in my seat the rest of the night, eventually switching to regular Coke so that I could drive myself back to the hotel later. At three, the DJ called last call, and Bella came over to tell me that I had to go. I couldn't let her leave, not yet, so I asked her to get something to eat with me. She looked hesitant and a little scared. I almost told her right then that I was Alice's brother, but I didn't want her to hate me for being a damned liar, so I let it go. Again. I assured her that we could go somewhere public so that we wouldn't be alone, and she finally agreed.

Eating with Bella was fantastic. Conversation flowed freely, even though neither of us was giving specific details. Being the pussy I am, I kept up the damn lies…sort of. I told her I was born in Washington State, which wasn't true – I was born in Chicago. I told her I had a younger sister; I just left out that my sister happened to be her friend. I told her about my music major, and she seemed to really be interested in that. I neglected to tell her where I was going or about my education minor, though.

Leaving her was hard. When she mentioned she was going home to go to bed, I nearly asked if she wanted company. I blushed at the thought, and told her goodnight.

I went back to my hotel room and couldn't get Bella out of my head. She was all I could think about all night, and I barely got any sleep. I'm not ashamed to admit that I rubbed one out thinking of her sexy ass and perfect tits.

I wanted so badly to call Alice and tell her about meeting Bella, but I knew she'd kill me for lying to her. I had to find a way to make this right. But why was I so concerned about Bella? Why did I get a raging hard-on every time I thought of her? I'd just broken up with the only girlfriend I'd ever had. Why wasn't I more upset about that? Was Ali right? Was I really not in love with Tanya like I thought? I was confused and horny, and I really, _really _wanted to see Bella again.

* * *

I went to visit Bella every night for the rest of the week. She usually worked until closing, and after, we'd go out to eat somewhere. Finally, I decided I needed to leave; Bella was getting under my skin and it was scaring the shit out of me. Every day I got out of bed and impatiently counted the hours until I could see her again. When I wasn't with her, I thought about being with her. I missed her terribly during the day, and I didn't understand it. How could I have such strong feelings for someone I'd just met?

I made up my mind that I'd be checking out of the hotel and starting back home Thursday morning. Wednesday night (or early Thursday morning, whatever), after Bella's shift, we went out to the beach. It was beautiful and clear, so we got hot dogs from a vendor and ate on the sand. Bella looked so sad when I told her I was leaving, I almost changed my mind.

"You know, it's been really fun hanging out with you, Bella. Before I came out here, I had just broken up with my long-time girlfriend and was feeling pretty mopey. You cheered me up. Thanks," I told her sincerely, looking at her beautiful face.

Then she did the most amazing thing. She leaned in and _kissed me!_

The feel of her warm lips on mine sent signals straight to my dick, and I had to fight not to moan at the chaste kiss. She was incredible.

"Sorry. I don't know what I was thinking," she told me, hiding her face in her hands, obviously embarrassed.

I couldn't let her feel like she did something wrong, so I did the only thing I could think of: I pulled her in for another kiss.

I traced my tongue along her bottom lip, praying she would let me deepen the kiss, and my heart skipped a beat when she did just that. I fought with every ounce of energy I had not to take her right there on the damn beach. Her lips tasted so amazing, I couldn't help but wonder how the rest of her tasted.

After a couple of minutes, we broke apart for air. In my stunned state, all I could say was, "Wow." I felt like an idiot for saying it, but Bella blushed and agreed. I looked at her, and she had her face down, studying the sand like it held the answer to life's mysteries.

_Shit! She was embarrassed!_

"Hey," I said, putting a finger under her chin, forcing her to look at me. Her dark, chocolate eyes were staring back at me with a mix of desire and apprehension. "You don't have to hide from me."

"I'm sorry, I don't know what's gotten into me tonight," she told me quietly.

I couldn't have cared less what gotten into her – I liked it. A lot!

"You have nothing to be sorry for. That was… wow," I said again with a small chuckle.

"Well, uh, it's getting late. I'm sure you want to get back so you don't miss your flight," she said, standing up and brushing the sand off her perfect, amazing, beautiful ass.

"Actually, I'm driving," I informed her, brushing sand off my ass as well.

The look on her face when she saw my Shelby was priceless. Not many girls knew anything about my car or appreciated its beauty. When she explained about her friend, Emmett, jealousy stung my chest. How close "friends" were they?

_Wait…why do I even care? _

We talked for a few minutes about our respective vehicles, but I needed to go; check out at the hotel was at eleven. I needed to get back, get a shower, and get packed.

_Mmm…shower….Bella _in _the shower….with me….STOP! What am I thinking?_

I resisted the urge to lean over and kiss Bella again, got in my car, and left.

When I got back to the hotel, I was pissed. I was pissed off at myself for lying to Bella; I was pissed off at her for making me feel these things about her; and I was pissed off at Alice for suggesting I meet Bella – and being right, yet again. I showered, packed, and laid down for a little bit of shut eye before I left Bella forever. I wouldn't be coming back to see her again.

* * *

I was half way to Las Vegas when I got a call from Alice. Hitting speaker phone, I didn't even get a chance to greet her before she started yelling.

"Edward Anthony Cullen, what the _fuck _is your problem?" she shrieked into the phone.

_Thank God that was on speaker! I would have lost an ear drum!_

"What are you talking about, Tink?" I asked angrily.

"Bella," she replied.

My blood went cold. Was there something wrong with Bella? Wait…how did she know I'd seen Bella?

"Wait, what?" I asked her, completely confused as to what was going on or why she was so angry.

"Rose just sent me a picture of this _amazing _guy Bella's been going on about all week. Care to guess who was in that picture?" she inquired, sarcasm dripping from her voice.

_Bella thought I was amazing? _My chest swelled with pride. _Wait, how'd she get a picture of me?_

"I don't know what you're talking about, Ali," I told her, thinking maybe she had been mistaken.

"Apparently, you haven't been listening to me lately. Bella was already pissed off that her boyfriend told her –the day before he was set to move to New York – that he was leaving, and she wasn't pleased with her other friends for keeping it from her. She has trust issues anyway, and then you go and _lie _to her? Are you _insane?"_ she angrily asked me.

Shit, I had really screwed up. I knew lying to Bella was stupid, but I doubted she'd ever believe me now.

"How do I fix this?" I asked my sister in defeat.

"That's something you're going to have to figure out for yourself. I'm giving you until tomorrow, though, or I'm telling her. I'll be damned if I'm going to let you ruin my and Bella's friendship with your lies," she lectured.

I sighed. What was I going to do? About a mile up the highway was an exit. If I turned around there, I could make it back to Santa Monica in a little over two hours. My mind was made up; I _was _going to fix this, even if Bella never spoke to me again.

"I need Bella's address. I'm going to apologize in person," I told Alice.

"Good luck," was her smug reply.

* * *

_Said the moon was ours__  
__Yeah__  
__Said the moon was ours__  
__The hell with the day__  
__The sunlight is always__  
__Gonna take love away__  
__Brings up suspicions__  
__And alibies__  
__But I can see blue__  
__Tear-blinded eyes__  
__Lies, lies, lies__  
__Ohh, lies_

_I got a stone__  
__Where my heart should be__  
__I got a stone__  
__Where my heart should be__  
__And nothing I do__  
__Will make you love me_

_I'd leave this time__  
__Break all my ties__  
__Be no more__  
__Use for any disguise__  
__Lies, lies, lies__  
__Ohh, lies_

_**~*~ Lies by The Black Keys ~*~**_

_**

* * *

**_

**So, as some of you (including my incredibly astute betas) guessed, "Anthony" was really Edward. How do you feel about that? What he out of line? What's Bella going to do when she finds out? **

**I keep forgetting to mention it, but my profile is full of links related to this story, including Bella hew 'do, and their apartment. Go check it out! I try to remember to update it after every chapter!**

**Catch me on Twitter! camdengirl09**

**I actually have part of Chapter 8 written, so for once, I'm offering teasers for reviews. Be patient, though, I'm a busy girl the next couple of weeks! :) The teasers won't be beta'd, so any errors are my own, and don't reflect on their awesomeness!**

**I'm not sure if there will be another update until after New Years. I'm sure my betas are just as busy as I am, and I don't want to pile work on them. **

**Everyone, have a fantastic Christmas and Holiday season!**

**Until next time... **


	9. Chapter 8  Coming Clean

Hello again, and Happy New Year! Sorry this update is a little later than usual getting to you, but the holidays kicked my ass! I hope everyone's was wonderful!

No one reviewed here last chapter, and that made me sad. I'm offering teasers in exchange for reviews! Just sayin…

Thanks a _**MILLION **_to my PTB betas: **Marlena516 & SqueakyZorro! **They keep my commas in check (and keep me straight in the Great Comma Debate lol), and they make sure that all this makes sense for you! Thanks SO MUCH for all you do, laides! I loves ya for it!

And heads up….if you haven't seen the movie _Empire Records, _you might not get a couple of the references later in the chapter. Check out the youtube links for Sugar High: www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=qUJkM9jAzkk and Say No More, Mon Amore (this is the "video", I couldn't find the scene from the movie): www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=szvt8iWJ0oo

As usual, I don't own a thing!

* * *

**Chapter 8 – Coming Clean**

_**BPOV**_

I was never so glad to have a day off. I'd been working my ass off lately, partly because Irina was going to give me four days off in August to visit home for Bree's birthday and partly because I really had nothing else to do with my time. Even though I loved my job, having a lazy day was amazing.

After my phone call with Rose, I got up and made my way into the kitchen. Starting the coffee, I sat at the counter eating a bowl of Lucky Charms and checking my email on my laptop. I was surprised to see an email from Angela; she and I had only talked once since graduation. The content of her message was slightly disturbing; she hadn't left for college yet and had run into Bree frequently. She said Bree looked like hell and reeked of pot the last time she saw her. Not what I wanted to hear. It also seemed Bree was beginning to gain a bad reputation because of Riley and his idiot friends. Angela warned me that maybe I should intervene, but I wasn't so sure. I had promised Bree I'd give her space, but maybe asking Renee or Emmett if they noticed any changes wouldn't be a bad idea.

I replied to Angela and grabbed a cup of coffee. I picked up my guitar and cigarettes from my room and headed to the balcony.

It was a warm, sunny southern California afternoon, and I was going to spend it outside.

_Maybe I'll go to the beach later?_

After hearing Blind Melon's _Change _when I was fourteen, I had begged Renee and Phil to buy me a guitar and lessons to play it. Luckily, they had agreed, and my guitar had been my trusted friend ever since. I wasn't an amazing player, and I only played for family or my few very close friends, but I loved it nonetheless. I could pour my heart and soul into a song and had even written a few of my own.

I had been working on a song for Bree for the last couple of weeks, and I wanted to play it for her as part of her birthday present. It wasn't to a point that I was willing to play it for Rose, but I had played it for Quil, and he really liked it.

Quil. Just thinking of him made my blood boil. That asshole really hurt me. He lied to me and used me, never seeming to care about how I felt the whole time. He said he cared for me, but in reality, I think he just cared about getting laid.

My thoughts drifted from Quil to Anthony. The last few days with him had been wonderful, and I was now wishing I'd gotten his number – or email address, or home address – anything, to be able to contact him again. The way he looked at me made me feel beautiful, desired. The feel of his lips on mine felt like home. Just being in his presence made me feel light and airy. I fucking missed him, and I had only known him a week. Six days. Whatever.

I went to light another cigarette, only to find they were gone.

_Funny, I thought I had a half a pack left?_

I picked up my phone and saw that it was almost two o'clock. I hadn't realized I had been sitting outside for so long. Standing up and stretching, I decided that I would grab a book and my iPod and head for the pool downstairs instead of the beach.

I changed, grabbed my stuff, and locked the door behind me. When I got down to the courtyard that held our giant pool, I noticed how empty the area was.

_Hmm, guess everyone around here is at work today._

I sat down on the lounge chair and thought about how perfect today had been. The only thing that would make today more perfect would be to have a certain sexy, green-eyed man to lie on the chair next to me.

* * *

_**RPOV**_

Before I called Bella, I sent a text with her mystery man's picture to Alice. I was sure she'd get a kick out of seeing the sexpot Bells had been hanging out with all week; that was, if Bella hadn't sent it to Ali herself. So I wasn't surprised when Alice called me about an hour later.

"Well, hello, beautiful, where've you been all my life?" I asked Alice with a laugh, instead of greeting her properly. Normally she laughed too, but this time she just sighed.

"Hey, Rose, are you still in New York?" she asked, sounding stressed.

"Yeah. Why?" I replied, confused as to why she sounded so uptight.

"You're never going to believe this," she started, "but that picture you sent…"

"Yeah…" I trailed off, as a queasy feeling settled into my stomach. I _really_ didn't like Alice's tone. She sounded far too serious, and Alice was almost never serious.

"His name isn't Anthony," she told me, anger seeping into her voice.

"Well, then, who the hell is he?" I inquired, anger and fear rising inside me. Who was this guy, how did Alice know him, and why did he lie to Bella?

"He's my brother, Edward," she said through obviously clenched teeth.

"_What?_" I practically screamed into the phone. "But how…"

"He called me last week, asking a million questions about Bella. Turned out, he'd been staying in our house in Forks, Washington, since he left home. He hadn't contacted me in a few days, so I didn't know what was going on. Apparently, he went down to Santa Monica to see her for himself," she interrupted in a huff.

"So your brother was in Washington, and, after asking random questions about Bella, decided to go meet her, lie to her, then leave?" I asked, completely dumbfounded.

"Well, the questions weren't exactly random," she said sheepishly. "I may have been taking pictures of Bella and texting them to him."

"Why?" I asked in disbelief.

"Because I thought those two would be good together," she said, sighing. "I never thought the idiot would go down there and spew lies."

"Have you talked to him? Ya know, asked him _why_?" I asked her, anger raging in my body so hard, my hands were shaking.

Poor Bella had dealt with enough lying bastards recently; she didn't need to add another one to the list!

"I was going to, but he decided to turn around to go see her himself. Apparently, he was driving his car back from Forks, and he was about two hours or so away from Santa Monica when I called him. Believe me, I'll get answers from him later," she told me in a very uncharacteristic, icy tone.

_Remind me never to piss her off! _

"Have you said anything to her about this?" I asked.

"No, not yet. I told Edward he had until tomorrow to fess up, or I'd call Bella myself," she replied.

"Okay, so he's going back there to come clean, and she's alone? I hope, for his sake, he's wearing a cup," I laughed, remembering her assault on Jasper.

"I hope she fucking socks him one, myself," Alice added, also laughing.

_I'm sure she's remembering Bad Ass Bella, too!_

"Well, hey, I'm going to call Bella to see what she's doing. I might call the doorman, too, and tell him that Edward's good to visit. That would be a mess if he had to call Bella down," I told her.

"Okay. If she doesn't call me, will you ask her to?" Alice asked. "I don't want her to think I had any part of his crap."

"No problem. Talk to you later," I said, hanging up.

I dialed Bella's cell but didn't get an answer, so I called Laurent, our doorman and asked him to let in a man named Anthony or Edward as a surprise for her.

I hung up my phone and anxiously waited to hear from Bella.

_I hope she'll be okay!_

* * *

_**EPOV**_

My hands were shaking and my palms were sweating as I pulled up to Bella's building. It was rather ostentatious, and I couldn't believe she lived here. Bella seemed to appreciate simplicity.

I parked in a spot marked for visitors and entered the building. Upon entering, I stopped to take in the lobby. The tile work was stunning.

"Excuse me, may I help you?" I heard a man with a slight French accent ask me.

"Uh, yes, I'm here to see Bella Swan, please," I answered, crossing the lobby to his desk.

"Name, please," he requested.

"Umm, Anthony," I told him.

"Ah yes, Ms. Hale said you would be here to surprise Ms. Swan," he said.

_How did Rosalie know I was coming? Alice! Shit! I hope they didn't say anything to Bella yet!_

I just nodded to him and tried to grin, though I'm sure it came out looking like a grimace.

The doorman picked up a phone and dialed a number. After a few moments he hung up and, turning to me, said, "I believe Ms. Swan is still out by the pool. She isn't answering in the apartment. The way through the pool is right through those doors. If she isn't there, please come let me know."

"I will, thank you," I said, slowly walking to the doorway he had pointed out.

Pushing open the doors, I was greeted by a beautiful courtyard with a few small trees planted here and there and a large pool in the center. Off to the left side, I saw a woman lying in a lounge chair. I took a couple of steps in her direction and realized it was none other than Bella.

She looked stunning! She had on a light blue bikini; her tanned, toned legs were stretched out in front of her. Her large sunglasses hid her eyes from me, but from the long, deep breaths, I assumed she was napping. I noticed she had ear buds in and didn't want to startle her if she didn't hear me, so I moved a chair next to her loudly to get her attention. It worked; she opened her eyes and looked around. It took her a moment, but her beautiful brown eyes finally locked on mine.

"Anthony!" she gasped, taking her ear buds out and smiling at me. "What are you doing here? I thought you were leaving today?"

"I was, but I decided I needed to come back and talk to you," I told her, wiping my sweaty palms on my jeans.

"Oh?" Bella asked curiously.

"I don't suppose there is somewhere more private we can talk, is there? I promise I'm not here to take advantage of you or anything," I told her in a rush.

She seemed to debate it a moment, then she offered to show me up to her apartment.

"Laurent, Anthony and I will be going upstairs. Please let me know if I have any other visitors," she said to the doorman, while leading me to the elevator. I assumed she wanted him to know I was up there if anything should happen to her. It made sense; she didn't know who I really was.

"Yes, Ms. Swan," he replied.

Bella pressed the button for the elevator and we waited in uncomfortable silence until the car arrived. The ride up the elevator was just as tense. I had the feeling she wasn't comfortable taking me to her home while she was alone.

We rode up to the third floor and Bella unlocked a door at the end of the hall.

"Welcome to Chez Swan," she said, opening the door. "Actually, the apartment belongs to my roommate Rosalie. Anyway, do you want anything to drink?"

"Um, water's fine, thanks," I told her, sitting down on the couch.

I took a moment to look around. It was a really nice apartment that was artfully decorated; I bet Alice loved it. It also had an amazing view.

"So, what did you need to talk about?" Bella asked and lit a cigarette. She opened the balcony doors and stood outside.

"You smoke?" I asked, surprised.

"Yeah," she answered, blushing slightly.

_Goddamn, I love that blush! Focus!_

"So, um…I don't know where to start. What I have to say isn't easy, and I'm not sure that you'll even want to talk to me again after I tell you," I started.

"Oh, God, you're not married, are you?" she asked, looking like she was about to puke.

"No! No, not married," I quickly assured her.

She let out a breath. "Okay, good. So what's so horrible that you're afraid to talk about it?"

"Well…you see…um…fuck! I practiced this a dozen times on the drive over, but now I can't think of what to say," I rambled, rubbing my sweaty palms on my jeans, yet again.

"Just spit it out," she demanded, sounding annoyed.

This wasn't good.

"Okay. Well…Bella…you know Alice?" I asked.

She nodded with an apprehensive look on her face.

"Well…she's…she's my sister," I told her, then cringed, waiting on the assault I was sure was about to come.

Bella looked rather confused for a moment and took a drag of her cigarette, contemplating what I'd just said.

"Alice said she only had one brother," she stated, rather than asked.

"Yes, she does," I affirmed.

"But she told me her brother's name was _Edward_."

"It is…"

"So…your name _isn't _Anthony?" she asked, anger starting to show on her face.

"Well, my _middle _name is Anthony," I said quietly.

"So you came here, hung out with me every fucking day for a week, and lied to me the whole Goddamned time?" she asked, her voice starting to rise.

"Yes and no. Please, Bella, let me explain before you kick me out, hit me, or start yelling," I said in a rush, trying like hell to avoid a Bella Beat Down.

"You have five fucking minutes," she stated flatly, lighting another cigarette.

"Okay," I started, hands shaking. I only had five minutes to get her to not hate me. Or Alice.

_Alice!_

"The first thing I want to say is that Alice had no part in this, so please don't be angry with her."

Bella quirked an eyebrow at me and motioned for me to go on.

"She texted me a few times while she was here and asked me to come meet you. She thought that you and I would get along well. I guess she was right," I said, letting out a small laugh.

"We did, until I found out you were a fucking liar," Bella spat.

I winced at her icy tone. I'd expected worse, but it still stung to hear the hurt and anger in her voice. "Fair enough. Anyway, I ignored her for quite a while. But then she sent me a picture of you the day you had your hair done, and Bella, it took my breath away. You were outside, and the sun was shining…you just looked stunning," I told her honestly.

"She was sneaking pictures of me to you behind my back?" she asked incredulously.

"Yes, but only a couple," I said, trying to calm her down.

"So she's as bad as you are," she stated.

"No, please, Bella. Don't think that. Alice only had your, and my, best interests at heart. Please don't be angry with her," I pleaded.

"I'll deal with her later. Go on," she commanded.

"Well, I finally decided to call her and ask about you. She told me basic stuff, nothing personal or anything, and I decided to come see you. Actually, it was funny – I had lunch with your dad the day before I came down here," I told her with a chuckle.

"You ate with my dad? Why?" she asked.

"Dumb luck. I was in Forks, which Alice didn't know at the time, and he came into the diner that day and asked me to join him. He said you had told him that you knew Alice, and we talked about my family a bit. And about you," I said, looking at her face to judge her reaction.

She looked confused.

"I just don't understand why he just randomly asked you to join him."

"To be honest, I don't either. In all the times we've been to Forks, I haven't had much contact with the Chief. Except for the one speeding ticket he gave me," I told her, flashing my lopsided grin at her.

"He caught you speeding yet still ate with you? Impressive," she said with a smirk of her own.

"Yeah. Look, this whole thing is a mess, and it's all my fault. I came down here on a whim, and I wasn't sure what to expect. But I didn't want you to think I was a creepy stalker or that I was only here because of Alice, so I panicked. I'm so sorry. I was going to tell you that first night, but I caved. If I could take it all back, I would. I swear I would," I told her, hoping and praying she could tell how sincere I was being.

She sighed and slid down the wall, sitting on the floor.

"How is it that I always attract liars and assholes?" she asked through teary eyes. "Does something about me scream, 'please, take advantage of me'?"

"Oh, God, Bella. No, not at all," I told her earnestly, crossing the room and sitting down next to her.

I reached my hand out to touch hers, and she flinched back like I had burned her.

"Don't. You don't have a right to touch me," she said angrily, rising to her feet.

"I'm not going to kick your ass, but only because you're Alice's brother. But just know that when you walk out of this door, I never want to speak to you again. Ever. Is that understood?" Bella asked, her tone of voice leaving no room for argument.

I felt deflated. I had been prepared for something like this, but it still hurt like hell. I hurt her feelings and completely lost her trust. Even though I didn't know her well, I felt completely crushed.

I stood and started moving to the front door.

"My intention was never to hurt you. Why I didn't tell you from the beginning who I was will forever be a mystery to me. I hope that someday, you can forgive me, and we can be friends," I told her.

"Don't count on it," she said, turning her back to me. "Goodbye, Edward."

I hung my head in defeat and let myself out of her apartment.

As I shuffled my feet toward the elevator, I couldn't help but feel like I'd probably just ruined my only chance with Bella. I felt like shit. Alice was going to kill me.

* * *

_**BPOV**_

After Edward shut the door softly behind him, I dropped to the floor, sobbing. Luckily, I had held it together while he was here, but now that he was gone, I could let the emotions loose.

_What the hell was he thinking? Why did he have to lie to me? I really liked him, but he's just like all the rest: a fucking liar!_

I'm not sure how long I sat there sobbing, but when the tears finally stopped and my breathing returned to normal, I decided to call Alice.

I trudged into the kitchen and picked my phone up off the counter. Scrolling through the list of contacts, I found Alice's number and dialed.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Ali, it's Bella," I greeted, sniffing.

"Oh my God, Bella, I'm so sorry! I swear I didn't know until this morning!" she said, sounding like she was about to cry as well.

"Its okay, Ali, he told me that," I assured her.

"He's been there already?"

"Yeah, he just left a little bit ago."

"So…do you want to talk about it?"

"He said that you sent him pictures of me. Is that true?" I asked, grabbing a Diet Coke from the fridge and sitting on the balcony.

"Yes, it is. I didn't think you would mind, and I'm sorry if you're hurt or angry. I just wanted him to see how beautiful you are. I thought you two would be good together…"

"Well, I don't really appreciate you sending the pictures without me knowing, but I'm not angry. It's okay. I know your heart was in a good place," I assured her.

She let out a long sigh, like she was holding her breath. "Good, it wasn't intended to be malicious."

"I know."

"So did he even try to explain why he lied to you? Because he really didn't give me an answer…"

"He said he was scared that I would think he was a stalker or that he was only there because you had sent him. So he panicked and gave me his middle name." I told her, rolling my eyes.

"That's a lame fucking reason," she stated, sounding angry at her brother.

"I thought so, too," I agreed.

"So how much damage did you do him? Personally, I hope you at least broke his nose!"

I chuckled at Alice. How funny that she'd _want _me to kick her brother's ass!

"I didn't lay a finger on him," I told her. "Considering he's your brother, I thought I'd cut him some slack after attacking your boyfriend."

Alice laughed at that. "Yeah, but Edward _deserved_ it!"

"He did, but oh well."

"I really _am_ sorry about all this, Bella. If I knew he'd be such a douche, I would have never encouraged him to meet you. I never dreamed he'd pull a stunt like this."

"It's okay, Alice. I know none of this was really your fault. But he hurt my feelings and I don't trust him _at all _now, so please don't expect him and me to be friends, okay?"

"Completely understood."

"Look, I'm going to go now. I just wanted to let you know that he was here and left in one piece."

"Alright. But if you need anything, call me, okay?"

"I will," I assured her.

"Okay. Take care and I'll talk to you soon."

"Bye," I said, hanging up.

I slumped into my seat a little more, depressed and not wanting to spend the evening alone.

_What can I do to occupy my night now? GIRLS' NIGHT!_

I quickly grabbed my phone off the table and scrolled down to Leah's number.

"Hey, Bella! What's up?" Leah asked cheerily.

"I've had a shit day. Can you come by for a girls' night?" I asked, hoping like hell she'd say yes.

"Yeah, I can do that. I don't have any plans tonight," she confirmed.

I did an internal happy dance.

"Great! You bring the ice cream; I have the movies," I told her.

"Will do. So, you going to tell me what this is all about?" she asked.

"When you get here. It's a long story."

"Okay. See ya in a few!" Leah said, hanging up.

I ran into my room and threw on a tee shirt and sweat pants. I grabbed a few movies off my dresser and headed back out to the living room.

About a half hour later, a knock at the door signaled that Leah was here. I checked the peephole to make sure, then opened the door, motioning for her to come in.

"I have Rocky Road, Triple Chocolate Chunk, and a _surprise_," Leah said, unloading the goodies from the bag she had with her.

"Oh, a _surprise,_" I said sarcastically. "What kind of surprise?"

"This," she said, pulling two liquor bottles from the bag.

"You know I don't drink much," I told her.

"I know, but nothing soothes a shitty day like puking up Triple Chocolate Chunk after a night of drinking," she said, laughing.

"What are those, anyway?" I asked, grimacing at the thought of blowing brown chunks later.

"Apple Pucker and Butterscotch Schnapps," she said.

I wrinkled my nose. "Sounds disgusting."

"Haven't you ever heard people at the bar ordering Caramel Apple shots?" she asked.

"Yeah…"

"Well, this is what they're made of! Trust me, they're yummy. But you have to be careful, because they're sweet, so it's easy to slam them back too fast," she warned me.

"I see," I said, still not sure I wanted to even try.

"So," she started, after putting the liquor bottles in the refrigerator, "what's your sour mood all about, anyway?"

"You know that guy, Anthony, I told you about?"

"Yes."

"Turns out that he's a lying bastard, as well as Alice's brother," I told her, plopping down on the couch.

"No shit? How'd you find out?" she asked, sitting next to me.

"He came by today and spilled his guts. Apparently, he's a spineless bastard who was too afraid to tell me who he really was," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Does Alice know about this?" she asked.

"Yeah, but only after the fact. She didn't have anything to do with it," I replied.

"That's good."

"Sad thing is, I really liked him. I was bummed when he left; I thought that _maybe _if he lived around here, there could have been something between us. But he's a liar and a pussy like all the rest," I huffed, tears threatening to spill over again.

"I'm sorry, Bella," Leah said, rubbing my arm soothingly.

"It's alright. Life _will _go on. But I was bummed and needed someone here to keep me from going nuts," I told her.

"So, just out of curiosity, how many broken bones did he have when he left?" she asked, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.

"Why does everyone think I kicked his ass?" I asked, astonished that my friends seemed to think that I only turned to violence to solve my problems.

"'Cause you're Bad Ass Bella," she replied, laughing.

I rolled my eyes and grabbed the movies off the coffee table. "So…_Empire Records, Dazed and Confused, _or _You've Got Mail_?" I asked.

"Oh my God, _Empire Records_! I haven't seen that in _forever_!" Leah squealed.

"It's awesome, right?" I asked, laughing.

"Totally!" she agreed.

As I put in the movie, Leah got a shot glass, two glasses, and the liquor bottles from the kitchen. When I sat back down, she was pouring shots of the liquor into our glasses.

"Here you go, my dear, Caramel Apple shots," she said, sliding the glass over to me.

"Bottoms up," I said, slamming the drink back quickly. Initially, my lips puckered from the sour taste of the Apple Pucker, but the butterscotch aftertaste eased it away.

"Not bad," I told her.

"See? Every now and then I know what I'm talking about," she bragged with a wink.

I started drinking the shots almost as fast as Leah could pour them. Soon I had a good buzz going and was dancing around with her, singing '_Say No More, Mon Amore'. _

"Oh, _Sexy Rexy_!" I gasped, clutching my chest like I was swooning.

Leah was laughing so hard at my antics that she nearly fell off the couch.

By the time "Mark" was declaring "_Damn the man! Save the Empire_," Leah and I were officially drunk.

"Oh shit, this is my favorite part! Turn it up, Bella," Leah slurred loudly from her seat.

I turned the TV up and pulled her off the couch to dance to the last song of the movie with me.

_They all said "she's just another groupie slut"__  
__And I said I thought you were anything but__  
__Think again, sometimes reputations outlive their applications__  
__And sometimes fires don't go out, when you're done playing with them__  
__I feel so funny deep inside__  
__when you kiss me goodbye_

"_SUGAR HIGH__...sugar high...sugar high...sugar high__" _we both screamed, laughing and dancing.

_We could go out and not even leave the house_  
_A TV set and a bottle of wine is just fine_  
_Making out on that old pull out couch_  
_Watching Saturday Night Live, I guess that's why_  
_I feel so funny deep inside_  
_when I lick between your thighs_

_Sugar high...sugar high...sugar high...sugar high_

When Renee Zellweger stepped up to sing her epic part, Leah pointed to me and I slurred out the iconic solo:

_and I have searched both far and wide_  
_and I've explored the deepest caverns of my mind_  
_to try and find an explanation why_  
_I get this funny feeling deep inside_  
_when you kiss me goodbye_  
_and when I lick between your thighs_

_sugar high...sugar high...sugar high...sugar high...shhhhhhhhhhhhhh_

When the song was over, we collapsed on the floor in a fit of giggles.

"That was awesome, Bella," Leah said in between laughs.

"Yeahhh…" I slurred, lying on the floor and trying to catch my breath.

"Damn, girl, I think you got me drunk," she accused.

"_Me_? You're the one who spiked the punch, missy," I said, trying to point a finger at her. All three of her.

"I think I need to call it a night," she said, crawling across the floor to rest her back against the couch.

"What about your car?" I asked.

"I got a cab, figuring I'd be like this," she said.

She got up on shaky legs and began to gather her things.

"Thanks for coming by tonight, Leah. Booze and _Empire Records _really hit the spot," I told her, lighting a cigarette and slowly making my way to the balcony.

"My pleasure. It was fun. We should hang out more," she said, joining me on the balcony.

"Definitely," I responded.

"You know, Rose would let you smoke in the house."

"I never really brought it up. I just assumed she wouldn't want me to, so I just come out here," I told her.

"Suit yourself," she said.

"I think it's a good thing we didn't eat the ice cream. I'm feeling a bit woozy," I told her, trying not to watch the passing traffic down below.

Leah laughed like it was the funniest thing in the world. Then she snorted. This caused me to start laughing uncontrollably.

"So, are you going to be okay here alone, Bella, or would you like to come home with me?" she asked when she finally caught her breath.

"Nah, I'm good here. Thanks, though," I assured her. "You can stay here, though, if you want."

"You know, I think I'll do just that," Leah said, entering the living room and plopping down on the couch.

I went to me closet and grabbed her a blanket and a pillow. By the time I got back out into the living room, she was already snoring softly.

I lightly pulled her head up and laid it down on the pillow before I covered her with the blanket. I drug my drunk self to bed and, turning the TV on; feel asleep on top of the covers to _Three's Company._

* * *

So…whatcha think? Think Bella handled the Edward situation well? Think she should have kicked his ass? Let me know what you think!

**REVIEWS=TEASERS! **

Check out my profile for links pertaining to this story!

I'm writing a 3-shot called **My Best Friend's Wedding. **It's loosely based on the movie, and The Sweetest Thing. Put me on author alert to see if Bella and Edward have a HEA or not!

Thanks to Hockey_Chick for being my Twitter BFF and my biggest cheerleader! Check me out on Twitter: camdengirl09

That's all for now!

Until next time….


	10. Chapter 9 Going Home, sorta

_**Hello, again! Sorry this update took so long, but I was working on getting my other story started. It's called My Best Friend's Wedding. It's a 3-shot and a lot of fun!**_

_**My never ending thanks to my betas; marlena516 and SqueakyZorro. Let me tell y'all…I made some really, REALLY, stupid mistakes in this chapter, and these ladies found them all! It looks like I forgot how to read or even place a comma. *Shakes head* Epic fail on my part. I'll do better next time!**_

_**The impromptu beach scene was inspired by karry4harry's most recent update of her story Page Turner, and by a twitter conversation with casket4mytears. I dedicate that section to you, ladies :)**_

_****Last chapter, there was some confusion over the chapter numbers. Because of how FFN is, this update came to you as "Chapter 10" because of the Alice outtake earlier. This IS chapter 9, though. Sorry about that.****_

_**I don't own Twilight. I'm just not that original.**_

* * *

**Chapter 9 – Going Home, sorta**

_**BPOV**_

I woke up the next morning feeling like I'd slammed my head into a wall. Repeatedly. I cracked one eye open to see the sun streaming in the window.

"Fuck, it's bright in here," I mumbled into my pillow.

It was then I heard music coming from the living room. _What the fuck?_

I rolled off the bed and trudged into the living room to see Leah in the kitchen dancing as Paramore's _CrushCrushCrush_ played from the stereo.

"Morning," I mumbled, rubbing my eyes.

"Hey! Morning, Bells," Leah said happily and _loudly_.

"Can you maybe turn the vocal volume down a tad? I think my head's about to explode," I grumbled, sitting down at the counter.

Leah laughed. "Here, take these and drink this," she said, sitting two aspirin and a glass of water in front of me.

"Thanks," I said, giving her a small smile. "I don't know how people drink like that all the time. I feel like shit."

Leah just giggled. "I don't drink that much either. Last night was fun, though," she told me.

"Yeah, it was."

"So, what do you want to do today?" Leah asked.

I looked at her, puzzled. "I thought you had to work today?"

"Nah, I called in. I have personal time saved up, so I used some," she said, smiling.

"I think I just want to veg out today," I told her, laying my head down on the counter and sighing at its coolness against my aching head.

"Why don't we go to the beach and chill?" Leah asked. "Just lie around and soak up some rays. It's supposed to be around eighty-seven degrees on the beach today."

"I could go for that," I mumbled into the counter.

"Good. I'll get the stuff ready; you just need to go change," Leah told me, opening the closet and rooting around for the cooler.

I got up and dragged my feet back to my bedroom. I grabbed my swimsuit out of the drawer and headed to the bathroom to freshen up.

After brushing my teeth and splashing water on my face, I changed and went back into my bedroom. I noticed a missed text message on my phone.

_Hey Bells, I love & miss U. Sorry I've been MIA. Call me when you get a sec! Bree_

Huh. Bree texted. _So kind of her to grace me with her time, _I thought bitterly. I'd been doing what she asked; and only tried calling or texting her once or twice a week. But lately, she wouldn't even answer me, and I knew she was sending me straight to voicemail. _Fuck her, I'm not texting her back. Am I being petty? Yes. Do I care? Nope._

I met Leah back in the living room. She had everything packed in a large beach bag, and it didn't escape my attention that portable speakers and my iPod were laying on the top. "Is there anything else you need me to get?" I asked, laying my towel down next to the bag.

"Um…where's your cooler? I figured we could get ice and bottled water to take with us," she said, checking through the bag again.

I got the cooler out of Rose's closet and followed Leah out to the elevator.

"Do you mind driving?" I asked Leah. "I just don't feel like doing a damn thing."

"Sure," she said with a small laugh and took the keys from my outstretched hand.

We walked to my Jeep in silence and loaded the stuff in the back. Then we drove down the street to a small gas station and got the ice and water for the cooler. We got back in the Jeep and Leah finally broke the silence.

"Where do you want to go? L.A.? Malibu? Or do you just want to stay here in Santa Monica?" she asked.

"There was a place in Malibu Rose took me to when Jasper and Ali were out here. I can't remember where it was, but it was beautiful there."

"I think I know where it is," she said, turning into traffic.

We drove in silence again, not even playing the radio on, while I just stared out the window.

"Okay, what gives?" Leah finally asked.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"What's with the silent treatment? Did I piss you off or something?"

"No, sorry. I've just got a lot on my mind today," I apologized.

"I know we're not as close as you and Rose are, but you can talk to me if you want to," Leah offered.

"It's a long story," I told her.

"We've got all day," she said with a smile.

So I told her. _Everything._ Once I opened my mouth, it just wouldn't close again. I told her about Phil and how horrible it was living in small town hell. I told her about Bree basically cutting me out of her life and how I felt lost not hearing from her daily. I explained just how hurt I was when Quil deceived me. And I told her about the strange pull I had to Anthony…err...Edward and how I really just wanted to be pissed at him. But for some reason, even though he lied to me, I couldn't find it in myself to be truly and honestly mad. Was I hurt that he didn't trust me enough to just tell me who he was when we first met? Yes. And was I angry when he told me? Yes. But now…now I just felt…numb.

By the time I was done rambling, we were pulling into a parking spot along the beach. Leah and I pulled all the stuff out of the back of the Jeep, and we each took a handle of the cooler.

"Shit!" I yelled as my hand slid from the handle and the cooler nearly fell on my foot.

"Maybe we should have waited to fill it. Sorry, Bella," Leah apologized.

"No worries. We can do this. We're both grown women. We're not going to let a stupid cooler get us down, are we?" I joked.

Leah shook her head, smiling.

"Ready? On the count of three. One…two…" I started.

"Do you guys need some help?" I heard a deep, velvety voice ask.

Incredulously, I spun on my heel and came face to face with none other than Edward fucking Cullen.

"Oh, you've _got _to be fucking kidding me! What are _you _doing here"? I demanded, glaring.

Leah just stood there, her head snapping back and forth between Edward and me like a cartoon character.

"Offering to help you with your cooler?" he asked, rather than stated.

"Well, we don't need help from _you,_" I shot back, sounding very much like a petulant child.

Leah, tired of being kept out of the loop, grabbed me by the arm and pulled me off to the side.

"Give us a minute, please," she said to Edward.

He just nodded. _Mindless fucking zombie!_

"Bella, we could use his help. Besides, he's gorgeous," Leah whispered to me.

"No. That –" I said, directing my glare toward Edward, "–is Edward Cullen."

"Oh. Okay…why is he here?" she asked.

"How the hell should I know?" I asked, completely frustrated at the entire situation.

"Why don't you go ask him, then?" Leah advised, smirking just a bit. _God, I'd like to wipe that smirk from her face right about now._

I marched back over to Edward.

"Look, yes, we could use some help with the cooler. But first…why in the hell are you even here?" I asked, hands on my hips.

"I'll explain everything once I help get you situated," he said, bending down and picking up the cooler. I tried not to notice that he was struggling.

_Good, let him struggle. Maybe he'll even pull a muscle._

Leah led us down to a spot she deemed worthy and Edward set the cooler down while I erected the beach umbrella.

We laid the towels out and I put on sunscreen, all while Edward stood there watching us. To be honest, it was creeping me out a little.

When we were done, Leah lay down on her towel and I stood there, locked in a staring contest with Edward.

"So?" I asked and rolled my eyes.

He sighed. "Look, I wanted to apologize again for…well…everything. I acted like an ass, and I don't normally behave that way. I was just really scared and it just came out before I could stop it. I know I don't deserve your trust, and I'm not asking for it. I'm just asking for a second chance," he said in a rush.

"So you followed us to the beach?" I asked, sitting down on my towel.

"I hadn't intended to. I actually waited outside last night, trying to gain the courage to go back up and talk to you. From where I was parked on the street, I could just barely see your balcony. When I saw your friend," he said, motioning to Leah, "there with you, I figured I'd wait until she left. I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew, the sun was up. You guys drove right past me when you left, so I thought I'd talk to you wherever you stopped. When you loaded the ice into the back of your car, I saw the beach stuff and decided not to come up to you until you got out here. I'm not usually so stalkerish."

"Fine, Edward, I forgive you. There, are you happy? I forgive you for being a spineless pussy, and I forgive you for stalking me. Can you please leave now?" I asked, flicking my wrist like I was shooing him away, and laid down on my towel.

I heard him shift his weight from one foot to the other, then he slowly walked away. After a few minutes, I sat up and looked around. I didn't see him anywhere, so I laid back down and assumed he was finally gone.

"You really didn't need to be so mean to him," Leah chided.

"I wasn't mean," I defended.

"Yeah, you were. He followed us all the way out here to apologize, yet again, and you brush him off," she said, propping herself up on one elbow.

"I really don't care what he has to say, Leah. I'm sick of lying assholes trying to invade my life," I huffed, laying back down.

"Bella, I understand your hang-ups with lying, but can you honestly tell me that you've _never _lied? Ever tell your mom she looks good when she really doesn't or told a friend you weren't allowed out just because you didn't want to go? _Everyone _lies, Bella. Everyone. You can't just get pissed off and push people away because eventually, you'll be alone. The guy seems genuinely sorry. He fucked up – big deal. I think you should give him a second chance. If not for him, then for Alice. That's her brother; you two _are_ going to run into each other again. Repeatedly. You should at least be civil toward him," she said, giving me a pointed look.

"Whatever. Look, can we just enjoy our day, please? No more talk about Edward Cullen, okay?" I asked.

"Yeah, sure. Whatever you want," Leah smarted back, plugging my iPod into the speakers.

She scrolled through my playlists until she found the one she wanted. As soon as I heard the first song, I knew she found my "girl power" playlist. Britney Spears' _Piece of Me _started filtering through the speakers.

_I'm Miss American Dream since I was 17_

_ Don't matter if I step away on scene _

_Or sneak away to the Philippines_

_They're still gonna put pictures of my derriere on the magazine._

_You want a piece of me? (You want a piece of me?)_

I smiled to myself and started singing along quietly.

_I'm Miss Bad Media Karma_

_Another day, another drama…_

Half way through the verse, Leah started singing along, too. I sat up and poked her with my finger. By the chorus, we were sitting up, dancing and singing where we sat.

_I'm Mrs. Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous_

_I'm Mrs. Oh My God, That Britney's Shameless_

_I'm Mrs. Extra! Extra! This just in!_

_I'm Mrs. She's too big, now she's too thin_

Leah stood up and pulled me with her. We started dancing together, and I didn't even notice people starting to stare at us.

_I'm Mrs. 'You Want a Piece of Me'_

_Tryin' and pissing me off_

_Well, get in line with the paparazzi_

_Who's flipping me off_

_Hoping I'll resort to some havoc_

_And end up settlin' in court_

_Now are you sure you want a piece of me? (You want a piece of me)_

As I sang, I puffed my chest out to Leah like we were squaring off to fight. It was hilarious, and Leah was laughing so hard she could barely stand up straight. She kept laughing. I kept singing.

_I'm Mrs. 'Most likely to get on the TV for strippin' on the streets'_

_When getting the groceries, no, for real…_

_Are you kidding me? _

_No wonder there's panic in this industry_

_I mean, please…_

_Do you want a piece of me?_

As I sang the chorus with Leah, I grabbed her hand and held it above her head as I spun her like a ballerina. We danced and sang through the end of the song, earning some claps and catcalls from other people on the beach when we were done.

Embarrassed, I laid back down on my towel in a fit of giggles while Leah announced she had to find a restroom. I closed my eyes and listened as the next song came on.

_Ahh_, Bad Reputation_. I love you, Joan Jett._

* * *

_**EPOV**_

After Bella dismissed me, I felt like a kid being sent to his bedroom. I trudged away, wondering what I was going to do now. I had such grand plans last night. But in the light of day, I realized I was being foolish.

Nonetheless, I couldn't stop myself from following her when she left her apartment building. I saw her and the dark-haired woman go into the gas station and come back out with bags of ice and bottled water. I could tell from the stuff in the back of her Jeep that they were headed to the beach. I decided I would follow them there, and maybe I could get Bella to talk to me.

I parked a few spaces behind them, on the opposite side of the street. I sat in my car and watched them through the rear view mirror. When they exited the car, I got out of mine as well, torn whether to go to her or keep watching.

_Stalk much?_

When I saw them struggling to get the cooler out of the back, I felt myself moving closer to them. When Bella nearly broke her foot under the damn thing, I ran faster, not wanting her to hurt herself.

In my quest for chivalry, I nearly pulled my groin lifting it. _What did they put in here? Bricks? _I saw Bella look at me and smirk. _Yeah, she sees me struggling. She probably thinks I'm a total pussy now. _

I carried the cooler to where they deemed was a good spot and just stood there like a fool while I watched them set their stuff up. When Bella shed her tee shirt and shorts and I saw her in that damned bikini again, I had to try to adjust my growing bulge discreetly. _Fuck! She's so beautiful, and I don't think she even realizes it! _I almost asked if I could help put some sunscreen on her back for her, but decided she'd probably hit me for that. _I bet her skin is soft. Shit! Focus, Cullen!_

I tried to explain myself to her again. I know I was coming off like a moron, but I needed her to understand that I wasn't trying to be deceptive. She looked like she couldn't care less.

I dragged my feet through the sand, wondering what my next move should be. _Should I just suck it up and head back to Chicago or should I stay here and try to win Bella over?_

Frustrated, I ran my hands through my hair. I couldn't figure out why I even cared what Bella thought about me, but for some reason, her opinion felt important. And the fact that I felt drawn to her was slightly unnerving.

I sat on the low concrete wall that led around the side of the building that housed the restrooms and let my head fall into my hands. When I raised my head, I noticed that I could still see Bella and her friend from where I was. And, like the stalker I was, I watched as her friend talked to her. The look on Bella's face told me that she wasn't at all happy with what she was hearing. I saw her lay back down on her towel and I wished like hell she'd let me be near her. Her face was covered in shadow from the umbrella, but the rest of her body was radiantly exposed to the sun. She looked like an angel.

When they got up and started dancing, I couldn't tear my eyes away. Bella looked so carefree, not even noticing the stares of others around her. She just danced and sang with her friend, and my heart sank, knowing she would probably never be like that with me.

I couldn't figure out why this girl had moved me so much in such a short time. The rational side of me tried to argue that my emotions were just all fucked up from leaving Tanya. But my heart knew the truth – never, not once, had Tanya made me feel the way I felt when I was around Bella. I felt like a scared sixteen-year-old boy all over again. She was beautiful and smart and funny, and just…Bella. It was like my heart knew she was what I'd wanted all along in a woman, but my brain still hadn't gotten the memo.

I stood up and started pacing and running my hands through my hair again. I was internally kicking myself when I heard a feminine voice clear her throat. I peeked between my fingers to see Bella's friend standing in front of me.

"It's Edward, right?" she asked.

"Uh, yeah," I said, extending my hand to her. "Edward Cullen."

"Leah," she said shaking my hand. She narrowed her eyes at me and tilted her head to the side slightly. "I see the resemblance to Alice, but just barely."

"I favor my mother's hair color," I told her, blushing.

"It suits you," she said, still studying me.

"Thanks," I mumbled, rubbing the toe of my shoe on the ground.

"Look, I feel like I need to apologize for Bella's behavior –" she started.

"No need," I interrupted. "I acted like a fucking weirdo, I know that. I just wish I hadn't pissed her off so much."

"She's just…hurt. She has weird hang-ups about people _lying _to her," she told me, making air quotes when she said "lying." "I think she'll come around eventually."

"Yeah, I hope so," I sighed.

"Why do you care so much, anyway?" she asked.

"To be honest, I'm not sure," I answered, sitting again on the wall. "There's just something about her that draws me in. It's like…hell, I don't know what it's like."

I ran my hand through my hair again and chanced a look at Leah. She had kind eyes and a soft smile on her lips.

"Look, Cullen, I'll give you some advice. Bella's kind of lost right now. She's trying to figure out her place in the world for the first time. Just give her some time; I think she'll come around. But don't give up. I have a weird feeling about you two; I think you'd be good together. Just don't try too hard, though, or you'll scare her off. Okay?" she said, putting a hand on my shoulder and giving it a comforting squeeze.

"Thanks," I said, patting her hand.

"Alright, now get out of here. You're kinda acting like a stalker," she said with a grin, then entered the restroom.

As I walked back to my car, I began planning my next move.

* * *

_**BPOV**_

The rest of the day went by in a slow, lazy fashion. Leah and I hung out at the beach until late afternoon, then went out for a late lunch/early dinner. I drove her home and left her with promises of hanging out more.

Friday ushered in the return of Rosalie, who asked for details on her time away. I filled her in completely, and listened to her views on the whole "Edward situation." She felt I had overreacted somewhat, too. Maybe I had. Who knew?

The rest of July flew by, and the next thing I knew, I was on UCLA's campus getting my schedule and required textbooks and trying to learn the layout of campus.

Suddenly, it was only days until my trip back home. Rose had asked if she could come, too, and my mother was thrilled that I was bringing a friend with me. Rose even upgraded my seats to first class when she ordered hers. I could have fucking kissed her.

Through phone conversations with Renee over the last month or so, I'd found out that she had gone to a doctor's appointment and discovered that Phil had given her an STD, and she kicked him out for good. Bree hadn't taken the news well and threw quite the fit, and she hadn't been spending much time at home since. Renee almost canceled Bree's birthday party, but I convinced her that she needed to know we all still cared about her.

In the rare times that Bree answered her phone when I called, she refused to talk about anything related to Renee, Phil, or home; instead, she talked about how wonderful Riley was. Just hearing his name caused my eyes to roll of their own accord, but what really got under my skin was that Bree usually sounded drunk or something every time we talked. She sounded sluggish and her words were often slurred. She often laughed it off as being tired or that she had been crying, but I knew better. I _knew _my sister, and she just didn't sound right. Rose help soothe my fears by telling me I'd see her soon and could judge for myself if she really was messed up or not.

Finally, the day arrived. I was going home. For some reason, I was really nervous. After Rose and I made our way through security at LAX, we sat near our gate sipping Starbucks, and my knee wouldn't stop bouncing.

"Jesus, Bella, was your leg replaced with a jackhammer overnight? Calm down, we're going home. I thought you'd be excited, not on the verge of a panic attack," Rose said with a smile.

"Sorry, Rose. To be honest, I'm not sure why I'm so nervous," I told her, silently begging my leg to hold still.

A short while later, the announcement came on that first class passengers were allowed to board, and Rose and I quickly found our seats on the plane. After a forty-five minute layover in Denver, we were in the air again and heading toward Indianapolis.

When the pilot announced our final approach, Rose leaned to me and asked, "So, how are we getting to your mom's house, since you wouldn't let me rent a car?"

"My friend, Emmett, is picking us up from the airport, and I have my truck at Mom's," I answered, smiling at the thought of seeing Emmett again. I'd really missed him.

"Cool," she said, leaning back in her seat.

We landed and exited the plane, and I started searching the sea of people for Emmett. I knew he wouldn't be hard to find given how huge he was, and I wasn't wrong. I spotted his curly locks above the crowd and took off in a dead sprint for him.

"Em!" I squealed as I jumped into his arms, wrapping my legs around his waist.

"Hey, Bells," he said, laughing and squeezing me tightly.

"Em…air…" I struggled to say under his crushing embrace.

"Sorry," he said, setting me back down.

I turned and looked behind me to see Rose smiling at the little scene before her.

"Emmett McCarty, I'd like you to meet my friend and roommate, Rosalie Hale," I said, introducing them.

"Quite the pleasure to meet you, Rosalie," Emmett said, taking Rose's hand and placing a kiss on the top of it. I giggled at the sight of big-ass Emmett acting like quite the nineteenth century gentleman.

"Please, call me Rose. And the pleasure is _all _mine," Rose purred.

I looked at Rose, then Emmett, and saw them eyeing each other intently.

"Hello, earth to Em," I said, breaking their moment. "We still have to get our bags."

"Oh, yeah, right this way," he said, placing a hand on the small of Rose's back and completely ignoring me. _Yeah, he'll pay for that later._

Emmett insisted on carrying our luggage, and we followed him out to the parking lot. After loading the bags in the back of his Ford Explorer, I offered to let Rose sit in front, but she refused.

"So, are you excited for school to start?" Emmett asked after he got out of the airport traffic.

"Yeah. I've already been to campus and scoped out where most of my classes are. It's bigger than Purdue, and with a different layout, but I think I'll be okay. Speaking of, you ready to start another year as a Boilermaker?"

"Yeah. Coach Tiller's been impressed with me at practice and said I might get some game time this season," he told me, his chest swelling with pride.

"Wow, Em, that's great," I said, leaning over and squeezing his bicep. "Damn, you've really got some guns now, don't you?"

"I could bench-press you," he said, winking at me.

I laughed and rolled my eyes. Typical Emmett.

"So, Bella, what's on the agenda today?" Rose asked, leaning in between the front seats.

"I figured we could just hang around Mom's. Maybe I could give you the grand tour of Camden," I told her.

"That should take all of five minutes, if you walk really slow," Emmett said sarcastically.

I smacked his arm and tried not to show that it hurt my hand. _Stupid, strong Emmett._

The cityscape of Indianapolis gave way to the cornfields Indiana was known for. _No, there isn't more than corn in Indiana. There really isn't. _Em stopped for gas and for me to pee in Lebanon. I passed Rose as I was coming out of the restroom in the gas station.

"Want some snacks?" she asked.

"No, I'm just going to get a soda," I said, heading for the drink cooler.

"How close are we to home?"

"We're about halfway there, so another forty-five minutes or so. Could be less if Emmett drives like he normally does," I told her.

"Oh, okay."

"Getting sick of Emmett already?" I teased.

"No, he's sweet. I like him," she said, a sly grin on her face. _Shit, they'll probably end up hooking up before this little trip is over._

I rolled my eyes as she paid for her goodies and went hurrying out to Emmett's SUV. I paid for my drink and a pack of cigarettes and headed out to Emmett as well. Sitting down on a picnic table away from the gas pumps, I lit a cigarette and watched the two of them together. It wasn't often that Emmett showed his softer side to people, especially people he didn't know, but watching how tender he was being to Rose made my heart melt.

After a couple minutes of shameless flirting – from both of them – they finally noticed I wasn't there. I saw them look around until Emmett finally saw me.

"Thought you quit that shit?" Emmett asked, eyeing my cigarette.

"I had planned to. Looks like that plan failed, huh?" I asked, smirking and taking another drag.

"That shit will kill you," he told me, scowling.

"I could get hit by a car while crossing the street tomorrow, and it will have nothing to do with smoking," I sarcastically replied.

He rolled his eyes. "I'm done gassing up. You about ready to go?"

"Yeah," I said, standing and stubbing out my cigarette.

After telling Rose I wanted the back seat so I could lay down, we were on the road again.

"You fucking stink, Bells," Emmett said, rolling the windows down.

"So do you, but I've kept my mouth shut," I retorted.

A look of panic crossed Em's face. "I don't really stink, do I?" he asked worriedly.

"No, Em, you smell like roses," I told him, smirking and shaking my head.

"I think you smell fine," Rose said, laying her hand on Emmett's thigh. _Yep, they're definitely gonna fuck._

I rolled my eyes and laid down on the seat.

"Wake me up when we get to Delphi," I told Emmett.

"Will do. Sleep tight, Bells."

"On it," I said, shoving my bag under my head as a pillow.

I drifted off to sleep listening to Rose and Em chatting happily in the front seat.

* * *

"Bella, Bella sweetie, time to get up for school," I heard whispered in my ear.

"Fuck off, Emmett, or I'm going to hit you," I warned.

I heard Emmett and Rose both share a laugh at that. I sat up and looked around to see us passing the Dairy Queen.

"Wow, we're in Delphi already?" I asked.

"Yep, made excellent time," Emmett said from the passenger seat. _Wait! The passenger seat?_

"Why is Rose driving?" I asked, rubbing my eyes with my hands.

"Because she asked," Emmett answered, the "duh" clearly present in his voice.

I flipped him off and he stuck his tongue out at me. _Good to see some things never change._

I grabbed my cigarettes out of my purse and lit one, just as Emmett plucked it from my mouth and threw it out of the open window.

"What the fuck, Em? That wasn't cool," I said angrily, pulling another one from the pack. Again, Emmett snatched it and thew it out.

"So help me, Emmett Michael McCarty, I _will _kick your ass if you do that again," I warned, going for a third.

"Right, Bells. You and what army?" he asked, cocky grin firmly in place. "You don't need to be smoking anyway."

"I tell ya what, you face Renee and see if _you _don't want a cigarette," I huffed.

"I see Renee all the time. In fact, I was over there yesterday, and _I _didn't need a smoke," he informed me.

"What the fuck were you doing _there_?" I asked in disbelief.

"Mowing the yard. Since Phil's gone, I've been over there helping her out every now and then. She tried to tell me no, but I went out and started the mower anyway. Not much she could do about it after that," he answered with a shrug.

"Well, how mighty kind of you. But _you _aren't her daughter, and _you _don't have to put up with her bitching. So while _you _don't need a smoke, _I _do," I said, pulling the cigarette out of the box and daring him with my eyes to take it away from me.

"Oh just let her have her cancer stick," Rose said from the driver's seat. "She's been worked up about this all day."

"Yeah, listen to Rose," I said, goading him just a bit.

Emmett heaved a heavy sigh, then motioned for me to go ahead. I nodded and lit that sucker up.

"Why are you so wound up about seeing Renee, anyway?" he asked.

"She and I haven't been getting along so well since…oh, about the day I told her I was going to UCLA," I answered.

"I doubt she'll give you too much trouble. Bree's done that enough for everyone."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.

"Just that she's been in a bit of trouble. You didn't know?"

"No, obviously. Spill it," I demanded.

"She hasn't been arrested or anything, but she's walking all over Renee. Even before she kicked Phil out, she was having problems with Bree screaming at her, throwing shit, and staying out until all hours of the night. Sometimes she doesn't come home at all. Renee's caught her drinking a few times, too," Emmett said, sadness in his voice.

"I'm going to fucking kill that little bastard," I sneered through clenched teeth.

"That's kind of harsh to say about your sister, don't you think?" Rose asked.

"I wasn't talking about Bree. It's that punk, Riley. She didn't act like this until she started seeing him."

"I don't know, Bell. Riley seems like a good kid. His friends are idiots and trouble makers, but he seems okay," Emmett said.

"Oh, so _he's _okay. It's his friends that are idiots. Whatever, Emmett," I bitched.

I looked out the window and again and heaved a frustrated sigh. All I could see for miles were cornfields and the occasional house.

"Um…guys…what's that smell?" Rose asked, inhaling deeply, trying to pinpoint the pungent odor.

Emmett and I just laughed – we knew what it was. Sad part was, even after all my time away, I was still used to it. Unfortunately, it was the smell of home.

"It's the fertilizer on the fields," Emmett said with a smirk.

"Yeah…ya know…cow shit," I said, bursting with laughter at the look of horror on Rose's face.

Emmett instructed Rose where to turn and before I knew it, I was standing in front of the house I'd lived in most of my life.

Ladies and gentlemen, Isabella Marie Swan was home.

* * *

_Soooo...whatcha think? Was it worth the wait. Next chapter is going to be Bree's party, the rest of the weekend, and maybe - just maybe - we might see some more Edward ;)_

_Reviews = Love = me writing faster (i'm not above begging)_

_Come play with me on Twitter! camdengirl09_

_I think that's all for now!_

_Until next time..._


	11. Chapter 10  Uninvited

**Hello again! Now, I know you guys might be a bit confused, but this is, or rather **_**was **_**"Boiler Up." A lot of people were confused as to why it was called that, and instead of explaining fifty times why I called it that, I decided to change it. I hope this makes more sense to everyone!**

**Reviewers RingTheBella and Hockey_Chick10 were mentioned by their first names in this chapter because they were sweet enough to review. Thanks, guys! **

**Thanks, as always, to my AWESOME betas – SqueakyZorro and Marlena516 from PTB. They are amazing, wonderful ladies, and I LOVE them for not killing me when I make S T U P I D ass mistakes! **

**I don't own Twilight, SM does. I did, however, have a pretty sweet dream about RPatz today. Even called my husband Edward when he tried to wake me up! I've GOT to stop doing that! LOL **

**On with the show!**

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* * *

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Chapter 10 – Uninvited

* * *

_Like anyone would be__  
__I am flattered by your fascination with me__  
__Like any hot blooded woman__  
__I have simply wanted an object to crave__  
__But you're not allowed__  
__You're uninvited__  
__An unfortunate slight_

_**Uninvited ~ **_**Alanis Morissette**

**

* * *

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_**BPOV **_

"Welcome to Casa Dwyer," Emmett announced proudly.

I rolled my eyes at him and moved to the back of the Explorer to get my bags.

"Tsk tsk, Miss Swan. I'll get the bags. You ladies go in and say hi to your mom," he said, taking the suitcase out of my hand.

I decided arguing with him was pointless, so I grabbed Rose's hand and walked up the three small steps to the front porch of the first place I could remember as being home. It felt bittersweet being here. I'd lived here since I was five, yet my apartment felt more like home these days than this house did.

Rose squeezed my hand in support as I opened the front door. "Mom? Mom, I'm home," I announced loudly.

"In here!" I heard from the kitchen.

I led Rose through the small living room and down the hallway before coming into the large kitchen. The kitchen was Renee's pride and joy. She and Phil added on to the back of the small house when I was ten, so that Bree and I could have our own bedrooms and Renee could have the master bedroom and kitchen she'd always dreamed of. Unfortunately, Renee wasn't much of a cook.

"There you are!" Renee said happily, wrapping me in a tight hug. I fought like hell to keep the irritated groan from actually escaping my lips. This display wasn't for me; it was for Rose. Renee had to keep up appearances, after all.

"I take it this is Rose?" she asked.

"Yes, hello," Rose asserted, letting out a small huff as Renee gave her a tight hug as well.

"How was the trip?" Renee asked us, going back to the sink to finish washing dishes. The one thing her "perfect" kitchen lacked was an automatic dishwasher.

"It was okay," I said, sitting on a barstool at the breakfast nook.

"It was long," Rose griped, sitting on the stool next to me. "And _stinky_," she added with a shudder.

"Ahh, yes, the farmers must have fertilized recently," Renee said with a laugh. "I've lived here so long, I barely notice it anymore."

"I don't see how you could get used to _that_," Rose complained, clearly _not _impressed with the smell of cow shit.

"So where's Bree?" I asked, changing the subject.

"She's out with Victoria, I believe. They were going to get new outfits for tomorrow or something like that," she said, drying her hands on a dishtowel. "They'll be back later," Renee told us.

I just nodded in reply. Victoria was James' girlfriend, and she wasn't much better than he was. She was a known cokehead and didn't back down from a fight – yet another person I wasn't thrilled to have my little sister hanging out with.

"I expect you to be kind to your sister's friends, Isabella," Renee said, shooting me a knowing glare. She and I had been 'round and 'round about Bree's new "friends" recently. She knew I didn't approve.

"Yes, mommie dearest," I sneered. "C'mon, Rose, I'll show you where we'll be sleeping."

As we walked back into the living room, I saw our bags next to the front door, but Emmett was nowhere to be found.

"Hey, Rose, did you see where Em went?" I asked, grabbing my suitcase and heading to my bedroom.

"I thought I saw him pass the kitchen window when we were in there," she answered and followed behind me.

"Probably going out back to do more of Mother's bidding," I said sarcastically, opening my bedroom door. "Well, this is it. It's not much, but it's mine."

Rose walked in and looked around. Bree had obviously raided some stuff, but it was mostly intact. I had several band and movie posters on the walls, although I noticed my _Almost Famous _and _Empire Records _posters were gone. Some of my books were missing, too.

"I like it. It's very _you,_" Rose observed with a smile.

"Thanks. So, we can either pull out the air mattress for you, or I can take it and you can have my bed," I said, slamming my heavy suitcase on to the bed.

"That's a queen-size bed, right?" Rose asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"We could both fit on your bed," she pointed out.

"Um…" I said, not really liking the idea of sharing a bed with her.

"Oh, come on, Bella. It'd be like a sleepover. Haven't you ever had a sleep over before?" she inquired with a smile.

"Not really," I admitted, unzipping my suitcase.

"What? Really? Why not?" she asked, shocked at my lack of girl bonding.

"Don't act so shocked, Rose. I told you, I didn't have very many _close _friends. The friends I had were mainly boys, except for Angela, so having _them _for a sleepover was out. And Angela and I weren't really close enough to have sleepovers. Bree and I did makeovers and stuff sometimes. But that was mainly because _she _had friends over, and they needed a guinea pig," I told her.

"That would have been interesting to see," Rose mused. "Look, if it's going to bother you too much, we can sleep separately."

"No, it's okay. But I have to warn you, I talk in my sleep."

"I know. I've heard you," Rose admitted.

I felt the blood rush to my face. There was no telling what I'd said in my sleep.

"Don't look so scared, you didn't say anything too damning," Rose said, smiling.

"Come on, let's go see what Emmett's up to," I said, leaving the room with Rose right behind me.

We went out the front door and around to the back of the house, where we found Emmett stacking firewood by a pile of large rocks.

"What's all this?" I asked.

"Oh, Renee asked me to make a fire pit for tonight," he said, picking up one of the large rocks.

"Need some help?" Rose asked.

"No offense, but I don't think you could lift these," Emmett grunted, dropping the rock.

"There's nothing else we could do?"

"Actually, Renee said something about lawn chairs in the shed. Could you guys go see if they're there?" he asked.

"Sure thing. Come on, Rose," I commanded, heading toward the shed.

Sure enough, there were several white plastic lawn chairs in the shed. Unfortunately, they needed to be cleaned. Rose and I lugged them over to the side of the house to spray them off with the garden hose.

"Every guy's wet dream, right here in front of me," I heard Emmett say.

"What was that?" I asked, garden hose in my hand, sprayer aimed directly at him.

"Two good looking ladies…water…doesn't take a genius, Bells," Emmett smirked.

With that, I pressed the handle and sprayed the hell out of Emmett. With a laugh, he charged at me, and wrestled the garden hose from my hands. He pinned me on the ground, and Rose picked up the hose.

"Unhand my friend, or you'll get it," Rose demanded, laughing. _Yeah, really intimidating, Rose!_

"You wouldn't…" Em hedged with a big, goofy grin on his face.

"Oh, hell yes, I would," she shot back.

With that, she pressed the handle, soaking both Emmett and me. I squealed with laughter and Emmett jumped up off me. Rose dropped the hose and took off running, Em hot on her heels. I sat up on the ground, soaking wet, and laughed my ass off. My friends were hilarious.

After Emmett and Rose called a truce, she and I went inside to clean up and he went back to arranging the fire pit. Bree finally returned from her shopping trip.

* * *

Rose and I were sitting on the front porch talking while I smoked a cigarette (and hid from Renee), when Victoria pulled up in an old Mustang with my sister sitting in the passenger seat.

"Hey!" Bree yelled. She got out of the car, ran up to me, and threw her arms around me in a tight hug.

"Hey, sis," I said, hugging her back just as tightly. I'd really missed her and tried not to notice that she reeked of pot and that her eyes were bloodshot.

"Wow! I really like your hair!" she said, running her hand through my still-damp hair. "What did Mom say about it?"

"Thanks. She didn't say anything. She just looked at me, rolled her eyes, and went back to washing dishes," I told her.

"Well, what does she know, anyway? Oh, hey, Bella, this is Victoria. Victoria, this is my older sister, Bella," Bree said, her arm still around my waist.

"We've met. Hello, again, Victoria," I said, trying like hell to keep the disdain out of my voice.

She just nodded tersely at me.

"And Bree, this is my roommate, Rose," I said, motioning to Rosalie.

"So you're the one who helped give my sister a makeover. You deserve a medal or something," Bree joked.

"Yeah, we had to sedate her and take her in unconscious," Rose joked back.

"So where do you want these?" Victoria interrupted, holding up various shopping bags. This time, I didn't hide the glare I shot in her direction.

"Oh, we can take them to my room. I'll be right back, guys," Bree said, going into the house.

Victoria and I stood eye to eye for a moment before Rose cleared her throat and Victoria went into the house.

"Wow, I thought you two were gonna rumble there for a second," Rose said with a laugh.

"I can't fucking stand her," I sneered.

"Really? I hadn't noticed," Rose snarked.

A few moments later, Bree and Victoria came back out of the house. "I guess I'll see you later, then?" Victoria asked her.

"Yep. Be here or be square," Bree joked.

Victoria just nodded and, shooting me another glare, went to her car and left – tires squealing behind her.

"Was that really necessary?" I asked, annoyed.

"What?" Bree asked.

"The tires. What is she, sixteen? So lame," I answered.

"C'mon, Bells. You promised you'd play nice," Bree whined.

"I will, I will. I just don't like her, or her asshole boyfriend," I said.

"They aren't as bad as you think. We've had this talk. Can we move on, please?" Bree asked.

"So what's this big bonfire all about?" Rose asked.

"We used to have them almost every weekend, before my dad left," Bree told her. "We haven't had one yet this summer, so Mom thought it would be a good idea, since Bella's home and all."

"Sounds like fun," Rose said happily.

"They usually are. Mom doesn't allow any of us to drink, though. Not even if you're old enough. And Bella gets her guitar out and sings, too," she said, beaming at me. She loved when I played for her.

"I've been writing a song for you," I told her. "Want to hear it now, or later?"

"Oh! Can I hear it now?" she asked, bouncing slightly where she sat. I couldn't help but smile and think of Alice. Rose had a smile on her face, and I knew she was thinking the same thing.

"Sure, sis, let me go get your guitar. Is it tuned?"

"Yep. It's in my room. Have at it," she told me, turning to talk to Rose. "You'll love this. Bella is an awesome singer."

"I've heard her sing at work. She _is _pretty good," Rose agreed.

I went into Bree's room and resisted the urge to snoop, grabbed her guitar from where it rested in the corner, and left the room.

I went back out on the porch and sat on the edge of the low wall around it. I strummed a few notes to check that it was in tune.

"Okay, are you ready?" I asked, suddenly nervous.

"Yep!" Bree happily answered.

I took a deep breath and began the song, nervous about what she would think. I had played it for Rose for the first time a few days ago, and it brought tears to her eyes. She thought Bree would love it.

_When you feel all alone__  
__And the world has turned its back on you__  
__Give me a moment please to tame your wild wild heart__  
__I know you feel like the walls are closing in on you__  
__It's hard to find relief and people can be so cold__  
__When darkness is upon your door and you feel like you can't take anymore_

As I was about to begin the chorus, I noticed the weird look on Bree's face. I couldn't tell if she liked it or not, so I kept going.

_Let me be the one you call__  
__If you jump I'll break your fall__  
__Lift you up and fly away with you into the night__  
__If you need to fall apart__  
__I can mend a broken heart__  
__If you need to crash then crash and burn__  
__You're not alone_

_When you feel all alone__  
__And a loyal friend is hard to find__  
__You're caught in a one way street__  
__With the monsters in your head__  
__When hopes and dreams are far away and__  
__You feel like you can't face the day_

_Let me be the one you call…_

As I ran through the chorus again, I saw a tear slide down my sister's cheek. Rose was clearly trying to fight back tears as well. I hoped that Bree would get the message – it didn't matter if I was in the next room or a few thousand miles away, I'd always be there for her. When I was done, Bree jumped up and wrapped me in a tight hug.

"Thanks, sis. That was beautiful," she whispered in my ear.

"I was worried you wouldn't like it," I whispered back.

"I loved it," she said, pulling away and looking me in the eyes. "I love you, Bella."

"Love you, too, Bree-Bree," I said, hugging her again.

Our moment was ruined by Renee asking us to come inside and help her finish the food for everyone. She was going to order pizzas later, but she wanted snacks out also. We all converged in the kitchen to cut fruit and veggies for a platter while Renee made the dips.

* * *

A couple hours later, Rose and I were primped and ready to go, and Bree was in the shower.

"When's Alice supposed to get here?" Rose asked.

"Anytime now," I answered. "She sent me a text almost two hours ago, saying she was getting gas in Merrillville, so she was about halfway here."

"Cool."

Almost as if on cue, a little blue Volkswagen Beetle stopped in front of the house.

"A car that small and bright can only be Alice," Rose said, getting up and heading for the door.

Sure enough, she was right.

"Hey!" Alice yelled, getting out of the car. Jasper exited the passenger side, then he did something I didn't expect – he leaned the front seat forward to let someone out of the back.

There, exiting Alice's tiny car, was Edward. _What the fuck is he doing here?_

"Hey, Bella. Rose," Jasper greeted. "How was the trip out?"

"Good, but long," Rose answered. I just stood there in a daze, staring at Edward.

My blood was boiling. Why was he here? I knew _I _hadn't invited him. He looked worriedly at me, then at Alice, then back to me. _Ahh, that's it…Alice brought him. _

Jasper came over to me. "I hope you don't mind that we brought Edward. Alice had a _feeling _it would be okay," he said quietly, hugging me to hide our conversation.

"Guess it doesn't matter now. He's here, isn't he?" I whispered back. I really_ wasn't_ happy he was here.

Jasper looked at me sympathetically and patted me on the back. Just having him near me made me calmer.

"Hello, Edward," I said, raising my head and squaring my shoulders.

"Bella," he said with a nod.

I noticed Alice and Rose deep in conversation, no doubt talking about why Edward was here. I sighed. "Well, let's go inside and I'll introduce you guys to Renee and my sister," I told them, not waiting for an answer and going into the house.

Alice ran up to me. "I hope you don't mind me bringing Edward," she said worriedly.

"It's okay. No big deal," I lied. I couldn't hurt Alice's feelings – that'd be like kicking a puppy. It just shouldn't be done.

She gave me a small smile, but I hadn't fooled her. She knew I wasn't happy about it.

"Who are your friends?" Renee asked when we went back in the house.

"Mom, this is Alice and her brother, Edward; that's Jasper. He's Rose's brother and Alice's boyfriend," I said, pointing to each as I said their names.

"My, it seems like a soap opera, doesn't it?" Renee asked, trying to joke. Actually, it sounded snide coming from her. Typical.

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Dwyer," Alice said brightly. "Bella's told us a lot about you."

"I'm sure she has," Renee said, quirking an eyebrow. Alice's face fell, and I could have smacked my mother for being so rude.

"Well, this is pretty awkward, huh?" Bree said, coming down the hallway.

"Hey, guys, this is my sister, Bree. Bree, that's Alice, Edward, and Jasper," I told her, thanking God she had saved my ass.

A chorus of hellos were heard before Alice asked where the restroom was. Bree lead the way for her.

"So, Alice said something about a bonfire?" Jasper asked, sitting down on the couch across from Renee.

"Yeah, my friend Emmett should be here soon. Bree's friends should be here in about an hour," I answered, sitting next to Renee.

Edward just stood awkwardly in the middle of the room.

"The chair won't bite your ass," I told Edward, motioning to the armchair behind him.

He just blushed and sat down. He hadn't said anything but "hello" since he got here. His silence was getting on my nerves.

"Did you get the Shelby back here in one piece?" I asked, slightly curious about his trip home.

"Yep. She's parked in my parent's garage, safe and sound," he answered.

"Good. I'm glad to see you made it home okay," I told him honestly. I wouldn't admit it out loud, but I _was _worried about him making a cross-country trip alone.

"Thanks," he said as Alice and Bree re-entered the room.

"I'm going to get changed, then we can hang out in the back until everyone gets here," Bree said.

"Sounds good to me," I told her.

We sat around in awkward silence for a few minutes until Bree came back in the room announcing we needed to go outside. _Thank God for Bree._

We had just unstacked the chairs when I heard Emmett bellowing from the front yard, "Isabella Marie Swan, I hope you've prepared for round two."

I laughed and looked at Rose. She looked pissed.

"Don't be so worried, Rose. I can make it to the hose quicker than he can," I assured her. She had spent a lot of time on her hair, and I had no doubt in my mind she'd kill Em for fucking it up.

I saw the confused look on Jasper's face and was explaining the earlier water fight when Emmett's massive form came into view. He was holding a large cooler, and I couldn't help but smirk at Edward. _Yeah, buddy, _Emmett _has no problem carrying that thing!_

From behind Emmett came the voice of someone I missed dearly. "Smelly Belly, how the hell are ya?"

"Jamie!" I squealed, leaping from my chair and running to the tall, dark-haired girl behind Emmett.

"Guys, this is Jamie. Jamie, this is everyone," I said, lamely introducing everyone after giving her a big hug. "Jamie is Emmett's cousin, and quite honestly, the coolest chick I know. Besides myself, of course."

"How long are you in town for?" she asked, sitting in the chair next to me.

"Just a few days. My flight leaves Sunday afternoon," I told her, still shocked Emmett hadn't told me his cousin was in town. "How long are you here?"

"I've been here since the beginning of July. I go back Sunday, as well. Maybe we can ride down to Indy together," she mused.

"Maybe," I said, a giant smile plastered on my face.

Emmett sat down in the chair next to Rose while I made proper introductions.

"The ginger's kind of cute," Jamie whispered to me.

"Yeah, but he's also kind of an ass," I told her, unable to hide the bite in my tone.

"Ouch, I sense a story. You'll have to tell me later."

"I will," I assured her.

"Bree looks good. Em told me she's gotten into some trouble lately. She seems okay, though," she said, looking at my sister.

"She reeked of pot earlier. I don't trust her friends," I told her with a sigh.

"It'll work out. Bree's a good kid," she assured me, patting my hand.

I heard a loud engine gunning down the street and Bree's head shot up from the conversation she was having with Edward. "Riley!" she squealed then took off running toward the front of the house.

"Oh fuck, the assholes have arrived," I muttered.

"Behave," Emmett warned.

"Yeah, yeah," I said, brushing him off.

Bree came back with Riley, Victoria, James, and another girl I didn't know. I rolled my eyes at the group. They all just screamed "slacker," and I hated that my sister had fallen in with them.

Bree introduced everyone, and shortly after, Renee came out announcing pizzas would be delivered soon. Everyone sat around in separate conversations until Bree started in with the stories.

"Hey, Bella, remember my birthday from last year?" she asked with a smirk.

"How could I forget?" I groaned.

"What happened?" Alice asked.

"The genius over there," I said, motioning toward Bree, "thought it would be a good idea to go jumping off a bridge on the other side of town. She'd done it a few times before with her friends, but I never had. I didn't think it would be a big deal until I was standing on the bridge, looking down at the water below…"

"Yeah, then Bella chickened out," Bree interrupted.

"I did _not _chicken out. The water looked too shallow," I defended myself.

"Whatever, Brandeeand Emmett had jumped three times before you got up there. Obviously, it was okay to jump. Just admit it, you were scared," Bree teased.

"I wasn't scared – it just didn't look safe," I said, my pride definitely taking a hit.

"Long story short, Brandeegot tired of Bella being a giant pussy and pushed her in. But Bella being Bella, she snagged her foot on a support and broke her ankle," Bree continued.

"I had to jump in and carry her back up to my truck. Renee and Phil were not pleased," Emmett added.

"Yeah, they bitched at _me _for being a bad influence on _Bree_! How insane is _that_?" I asked. The others laughed at my misfortune.

After the pizzas arrived, Renee joined us, and we ate. Soon, it was dark, and Emmett started the fire. Before I knew it, Bree was shoving the guitar in my lap and demanding I play.

I played some of our usual campfire songs: _Leaving on a Jet Plane, _a goofy song Bree had learned in second grade called _Grandma's Feather Bed, _and of course, Blind Melon's _Change._ Despite the fact that Bree and her friends were openly smoking pot and passing a flask around after Renee went to bed, I was having a blast. I barely noticed Jamie and Edward in a deep discussion.

* * *

_**EPOV**_

This afternoon had been a blessing and a curse. Alice assured me that Bella wouldn't care that I was tagging along, but the look on her face when I got out of the car begged to differ. She did, however, treat me kindly – when she actually spoke to me.

Watching her interact with her sister was beautiful. The look on Bella's face showed how deeply she cared for Bree. She was protective, and even I was creeped out by Bree's friends.

Seeing Bella play guitar did me in, though. The way she looked so relaxed while playing made my heart soar. The fire was casting shadows across her face and she just looked so damn sexy, I had to keep discreetly shifting my pants.

"So, are you the guy Bella told me about?" Jamie, Emmett's cousin, asked after she scooted her chair closer to me.

"I'm not sure which guy you're talking about," I answered, praying that she didn't mean the boyfriend Bella had before I met her. If she even knew about him. Bella and Jamie seemed close, but I wasn't sure just how close.

"The one who can't remember his own name," she said, looking me right in the eye. I was kind of intimidated by Jamie. She looked like she could kick my ass if she really wanted to.

"That was a misunderstanding," I said, trying to swallow around the lump in my throat. Was I being a pussy right then? Yes. But seriously, she looked like she was about to cut me.

Jamie gave me a look that told me she clearly wasn't buying my lame story.

"Look, I pussed out. It's a long story, but I've apologized for my stupidity. Repeatedly. I just wish she'd believe me and give me a second chance. I really like her," I admitted.

"I'm not going to pretend to know what all happened between you two. But I _do _know that every story has two sides, so I take what Bella told me with a grain of salt. You seem like a pretty cool guy, and I _know _she has weird hang ups about honesty. It's not her fault, though. Phil really did a number on all of them. Just try to be patient with her, if you really care. Eventually, she might come around," Jamie told me.

To say I was surprised by her speech was a total understatement. It almost sounded like she was rooting for me. This gave me hope. Maybe she could help me win Bella over.

"You've been her friend for years – do you have any suggestions on how I might get into her good graces again?" I asked her.

"The best way into Bella's heart is through corniness," Jamie told me.

"What the hell does that mean?" I asked, completely confused as to what she was talking about.

"Bella is, secretly, a hopeless romantic. Corny ass gestures of love are what she really wants. She's always reading those romantic novels. She knows _Pride and Prejudice _by heart. You might embarrass the hell out of yourself, but you'll show her how much you care," she said, leaning back on the lawn chair.

_Hmm…random, corny acts of love…I could do that!_

"Okay, thanks," I mumbled.

"No problem. And, hey, Edward…"

"Yeah?"

"Good luck, man," Jamie said with a grin.

"Thanks."

The wheels in my head started turning. After about fifteen minutes, I had the perfect plan in place. All I needed now was Alice's help.

The next day I told Alice my grand plan. I was going to sing for Bella. Luckily, Ali had the song I wanted on her iPod and was more than willing to help. Just how – and when – I was going to pull this off was a mystery.

"You'll have to do it with people around," Alice advised. "The sooner the better."

I thought long and hard about that. _Bree's party!_

"Hey, what about during her sister's party?" I asked.

Alice seemed to think about it for a minute. "Yeah, that would be perfect!" she said brightly. "Let's go find her and ask."

Alice and I went into the house in search of Bree. We found Renee and Bella in the kitchen having a serious-looking conversation. From the look on Bella's face, she wasn't happy about what her mother was saying.

"Hey, have you guys seen Bree?" Alice asked.

Renee and Bella shared a confused look, then Renee asked why we were looking for her.

"We just have a question about the party later," Alice told them.

"Oh, I think she left with Riley earlier. You can call her, though," Renee offered, handing Alice her cell phone. "She's number two on the speed dial."

"Thanks," Alice said with a smile, and left the room. I stood there like an idiot with Renee and Bella staring at me.

"So, did you have fun last night?" Renee asked.

"Yes ma'am. I really enjoy listening to Bella sing," I said with a smirk. It didn't escape my attention that Bella's face reddened.

"Yes, Bella is quite talented when she actually tries," Renee said dismissively.

"What she means to say is that I'm a giant disappointment," Bella added sarcastically.

"You know I don't think that, Isabella," Renee scolded, shaking her head and placing her hands on the counter that separated them.

"Whatever. Edward, care to go for a walk with me?" she asked, grabbing my hand and pulling me out of the room.

Too stunned to say anything, I just let her pull me outside. I followed her down the street for a few minutes before I finally broke the silence.

"Um…want to talk about it?"

Bella let out a deep sigh. "Nothing I've ever done has been good enough. I had almost all straight As in school and was in the National Honor Society, but I wasn't _valedictorian_. I was accepted into UCLA, but that's not where _she _wanted me to go. It's just bullshit. And now that Phil's gone and Bree's causing trouble, somehow it's _my _fault because I moved so far away," she ranted, staring straight ahead during her entire speech.

I had no clue what to say to her. My parents had always showed their pride in Alice and me, encouraging us to go for our dreams. As long as we were happy, they were happy.

"Sorry I unloaded all of that on you," she said, finally looking at me.

I stopped walking and reached my hand to take hers. "Never be sorry, Bella. If you ever need to talk, you can talk to me," I told her sincerely.

Bella just nodded and kept walking.

We made it around the block once and Bella headed home. When we got there, Alice leapt off the front steps. "I need Edward," she told Bella. Bella just nodded. _I'm getting sick of that nod. Talk, damn it!_

Alice pulled me over to the side of the garage. "I talked to Bree. She's all for it, though I think it's just because she thinks Bella will be embarrassed," she said, rolling her eyes.

"I don't care, as long as she's on board," I said, wondering if I was _really _going to go through with this.

My afternoon was spent helping Alice, Bella, Rose, and Renee decorate the back deck for Bree's party. That morning, Emmett had brought over some folding tables and chairs for the party, and he and I had set up a stereo on one of the tables. Bella brought out three big ass binders full of CDs to play tonight, as well as the adapter for her iPod. _Perfect! Hooking up Alice's iPod will be easy now._

Around five, people started showing up, but there was no sign of Bree. Considering she had told everyone six, it was weird that she wasn't here. It was _her _party, after all. Renee was frantically calling both Riley and Bree, who finally showed at a quarter to six.

Bella designated herself the disc jockey and emcee for the party, announcing over a microphone plugged into the stereo when the food was finished, when it was time to eat cake, and when the presents would be opened.

Now the presents were done, and both Alice and Bree were looking at me expectantly. This was it, do or die. Time to show Bella how I felt about her.

Alice distracted Bella while I made my way to the stereo with Ali's iPod and found the song I wanted. The song playing cut out, and I grabbed the microphone, praying to God I didn't fuck this up.

_If you change your mind, I'm the first in line_

_Honey, I'm still free. Take a chance on me…_

I looked right at Bella as I began singing Abba's _Take a Chance on Me. _Bella looked around nervously, but by the time I was done with the first verse, several of Bree's friends were clapping and dancing. _This might work!_

Hamming it up a bit, I began dancing (which I wasn't great at) and kept singing.

_We can go dancing, we can go walking, as long as we're together__  
__Listen to some music, maybe just talking, get to know you better__  
__'Cause you know I've got__  
__So much that I wanna do, when I dream I'm alone with you__  
__It's magic__  
__You want me to leave it there, afraid of a love affair__  
__But I think you know__  
__That I can't let go_

As I went into the chorus for the second time, Alice dragged Bella to me and I took her hands and danced with her. She blushed and tried to wriggle from my grasp, but I wouldn't let her go. When I started the third verse, I looked her right in the eyes, hoping she would see how much I meant the words I was saying.

_Oh you can take your time baby, I'm in no hurry, know I'm gonna get you__  
__You don't wanna hurt me, baby don't worry, I ain't gonna let you__  
__Let me tell you now__  
__My love is strong enough to last when things are rough__  
__It's magic__  
__You say that I waste my time but I can't get you off my mind__  
__No I can't let go__  
__'Cause I love you so_

Bella gasped at the last line. Truthfully, I couldn't really call my feelings for Bella love, not yet, but...If she would just give me that chance...I somehow knew I could love her more deeply than anything I'd ever experienced.

I let go of her and found Bree waiting to dance with me. I finished dancing and singing with Bree, Jamie, and Alice. I had to admit, I was having a blast. Everyone, including Renee, was dancing around the deck and having a ball. Even if Bella was angry with me, at least everyone was having a fantastic time.

The song ended, and I bowed with a flourish to the clapping and cheering of the small crowd in the backyard.

I expected Bella to come out and pick the next song to be played, but she was nowhere to be found. Luckily, Alice came to the rescue while I went in search of Bella.

I looked all over the backyard, then I went inside the house. She wasn't in the kitchen or bathroom. Frustrated, I plopped down on the couch in the living room.

_Where had I gone wrong? I thought Bella would like that! Did I just make everything worse? _

I got up and started pacing the small living room, my hands angrily raking through my hair as I thought of a way to make this up to Bella. On my fourth pass through the room, I ran into Bella – literally.

"Oh, God, Bella, I'm sorry. I didn't see you there," I said, while wrapping my arms around her so she wouldn't fall. I looked down at her face and saw that she'd been crying.

Bella stilled in my arms and looked up at me, her brown eyes swimming in unshed tears.

"Why did you do that?" she asked in a shaky voice.

"Do what?" I asked. Did she mean the song or running into her?

"That song…why did you sing that song?"

"I…I thought you'd like it. Jamie said that I needed to _show _you how I felt, rather than tell you. I'm sorry if I embarrassed you," I told her honestly.

I felt like a total dick. She was upset, and it was all my fault.

"I'm not embarrassed, Edward," Bella said, stepping away from my embrace but taking me by the hand and leading me back to the couch. She sat down and patted the spot next to her in an obvious invitation.

"Then why are you so upset?" I asked as I lowered myself next to her.

"How can you sing about loving me?" she asked, picking an invisible thread from her pants. "You don't even know me."

"I'll admit I don't love you," I said, causing her to look at me. "But that doesn't mean I won't _someday_," I quickly added. "The whole point of that song was that I was interested in you and wanted you to give me a chance. I know I started things off on the wrong foot, but I'd really like to change that. If you'll let me."

Bella stared at me, no doubt judging if what I was saying was the truth. She finally let out a deep, long sigh. "I just don't know, Edward. It doesn't make sense, you know? I mean, I live in Santa Monica, and you live in Chicago. Long distance relationships don't work," she told me sadly.

"So let's start out by just being friends. We can get to know each other, and I can come out and see you sometimes on the weekends. Then, if we want to take it a step further, we can. We can do this as slow or fast as you want. All I know is that I would like to have you in my life, if you'll allow it," I told her earnestly.

"Okay, fine. Friends I can do," Bella said. "But I'm not so sure you'll want _me _around."

"Why wouldn't I want you around?" I asked, confused.

"My family is different. We have some pretty weird secrets. You won't want to be known as a friend of a freak," she told me sadly.

"I think that's for me to judge, don't you?"

"I guess," she sighed.

"So, since we're starting off fresh, let me introduce myself," I told her. She looked at me like I was crazy.

I stood and extended my hand to her. "Hello, I'm Edward Culllen."

She smiled and shook my hand. "Bella Swan."

"Nice to meet you, Bella," I said, grinning.

"You're a dork, you know that, right?" Bella asked.

"I know. Are you sure you want to be friends with this _dork_?" I asked, busting out the Cabbage Patch. Yeah, my dance moves aren't smooth.

Bella just laughed and shook her head. I liked the sound of her laugh. So did my dick. But I couldn't think about that right now. She was giving me a chance to be friends with her. All I had to do was to take it slow and show her I was worth her time. _That _I could _definitely _do.

**So…what ya think? Do you like Edward's little serenade? I thought it was cute! **

**Bella's song to Bree is actually an amazing, beautiful song called Crash and Burn by Darren Hayes. Listen to it, it's lovely! **

**Come play with me on Twitter! camdengirl09**

**I think that's about it for now…**

**Until next time…**


	12. Chapter 11  Happy Birthday to Me

**Hello, again! Sorry for the delay, life got kind of depressing for a minute. It's all good now, and with my trusty new laptop, updates should be coming more regularly again!**

**I want to thank my amazing betas - SqueakZorro and Marlena516 - who are not just awesome betas, but helped me out on my payroll project after begging for help on Twitter! You ladies are amazing, and i love you! **

**LAIKI was featured as an Under the Radar fic last month at Twilight Awards. Thanks, ladies!**

**Well, enough of my rambling, on with the show!**

**(PS: i still don't own twilight, but i did call hubby Edward, again. He's getting pissed about it! LOL)**

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* * *

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Ch11 – Happy Birthday To Me

_**BPOV**_

Rose and I loaded up Emmett's Explorer with our stuff Sunday morning. He brought Jamie with him, as she needed to head to the airport, too.

I gave Renee an awkward hug and promised to keep in touch as much as I could after school started. Bree, as usual, was nowhere to be found. I sent her a text saying goodbye, and climbed into backseat of the massive SUV.

"Looks like Em's really into your roommate," Jamie whispered to me.

I looked at Emmett as he talked to Rose. He had a slight gleam in his eye, as did Rose. "I think the feeling's mutual," I told her.

"So, how was your stay, Bells? Did you patch things up with Renee?" Emmett asked from the front seat.

"It was fun, but no; I didn't smooth things over with Mom," I answered. "She still hates that I'm going to UCLA, and it's still my fault that Bree is acting out."

"Not to butt in, Bella, but I hardly see how your sister's behavior is _your _fault," Rose said, turning in her seat to face me. "Renee is her mother, not you. If she wants her to behave, then she really needs to set firmer ground rules."

"I agree. But she says that if I were still at home, Bree would follow my lead. Truth is, Bree was pulling this crap _before _I left for California – she just isn't hiding it now," I told her, rolling my eyes.

"It almost seems like she's doing it for attention," Jamie chimed in. "I know when my parents got divorced, I started breaking curfew and messing around in school because I wanted the attention. It took my mom telling me that she wouldn't tolerate my crap to make me straighten up. Maybe Bree's doing the same thing?"

"I don't know. Maybe. I'm just sick of Renee placing the blame on me. It's not _my _fault she's a shitty parent," I huffed.

"Don't pin it all on Renee, Bella," Emmett scolded. "Phil could help out, too, you know."

"Yeah, yeah. Can we talk about something else, please?" I pleaded.

"Sure. How did things go with Edward last night?" Rose asked, wiggling her eyebrows.

I felt my face heat up. "Fine, thank you very much," I mumbled.

"You guys were gone for a long time after his serenade, which was funny as hell, I might add," Jamie said, nudging me with her elbow.

"We just talked a little," I admitted. "He wants to start fresh, build a friendship without lies and all that."

"That's a good thing. See, didn't I tell you to give him another chance?" Rose asked smugly, winking.

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, once again, Rosalie Hale is all-knowing and all-seeing. You're the queen – I bow to your brilliance," I shot back sarcastically.

"Thank you for admitting that. Don't you feel better now?" Rose asked with a laugh.

"Oh, tons," I replied, shaking my head at the sheer stupidity of the conversation.

I looked around and noticed we were just entering Delphi. "Oh, Em! We have to get Rose a Dairy Queen Dilly Bar. Trust me, Rose – life isn't complete until you've had a Dilly Bar," I told her.

"Well, I wouldn't want to live an uncompleted life. To the Dairy Queen, kind sir," Rose said, snapping her fingers.

"As you wish," Emmett replied.

* * *

After a quick stop at the Dairy Queen drive-thru, we were south to Indianapolis. We all made idle chatter along the way, and after a bathroom and gas stop in Lebanon, we were soon at the airport. Emmett parked in the short-term lot and helped us gather our bags. Rose and I went to the ticket counter to check our bags, then we all went to sit in the terminal, just outside the security area. Rose and I had about an hour until we needed to head through the checkpoint, but Jamie's flight was leaving a bit later.

"So, when are you going to invite me to your bitchin beach pad?" Jamie asked.

"We don't live on the beach, J, but we live close. As far as I'm concerned, you're welcome anytime," I told her, giving her a small hug.

"Sure, come on out whenever you can," Rose added. "You're fun, and you bring out the fun side of Bella. Emmett, you're welcome anytime, too," she said with a wink.

I saw Emmett flush red for a moment before he nodded his head. I had a feeling we'd be seeing Emmett as soon as he could get away from school and football.

Before I knew it, it was time for us to go. I hugged Jamie with a promise that I'd give Facebook a chance and talk to her on there more often. Emmett enveloped me in a warm hug, and I felt my eyes prickle with tears.

"No crying, Belly Bear," Emmett said softly. "I'll see you again as soon as I can, okay?"

I sniffed softly. "I know, I just miss you," I told him.

"Miss you, too. Take care of Rose for me, will ya?" he asked sheepishly.

"She's a big girl, Em, but I'll do my best," I promised, nudging him with my elbow.

We collected our things and headed to the security checkpoint. Once we were settled on the plane, I hunkered down for the long flight – Rose was able to find us a non-stop this time. I had planned on trying to sleep, but Rose had other ideas.

"So…about Emmett…" she started.

"Yeah? What about Emmett?" I asked wryly.

"He seems to be a good guy. He is, isn't he?" she inquired somewhat nervously.

"Yeah, Rose. He's the best, actually. There seemed to be some chemistry between you two," I pointed out.

"I can't explain it, Bella. Being around him just feels…right. Ya know? Like, I am meant to be with him. Does that sound stupid?" she asked.

"Not really. Believe it or not, I believe in true love, and love at first sight. I like to think that if you meet the one you're supposed to be with, you'll just know it. Maybe I've just seen too many rom-coms, but I believe it all the same," I told her.

"So, if Emmett and I tried a long-distance dating thing, it wouldn't bother you?"

"Hell no, it wouldn't!" I said a bit loudly, earning glares from some of the other passengers. "I couldn't imagine a better person for Em than you, Rose. If it's my blessing you're seeking, you have it. Though I don't know why you'd need it," I added a bit more quietly.

"Thanks, Bells!" Rose exclaimed happily, crushing me in a tight hug. Someone behind us cleared their throat loudly, eliciting a glare from Rose.

After that, she was pretty quiet the rest of the trip, and I was able to nod off a little.

* * *

The next month flew by. Classes started, I still had to work, and above all – I was getting to know Edward. I stayed true to my word and logged on to Facebook almost nightly to chat with him. It was fun, if I was being honest with myself. We could talk about things that were normally hard to discuss face-to-face, and just…be. I also talked to Jamie a lot more than I had previously, so for me it was a win-win situation.

I met Adam in my creative writing class. He was a great guy – he was funny, charming, and had a great body. However, it turned out he was gay. Go figure. Here I was, thinking this guy was completely gorgeous, and I was barking up the wrong tree. It didn't matter, though, because we became fast friends. He often came over to study with me, and Rose thought he was pretty fun, too. He and Rose even took me out a few more times and tried to teach me how to surf. It was hopeless; I was never going to be a surfer.

When I told Edward about my friendship with Adam on the phone one night, he went very quiet. When I finally got him talking again, he seemed tense. But once I explained that Adam was gay, he seemed to loosen up and was more chatty. I wondered if maybe he was jealous or something, but who was I kidding? Edward wanted to be _friends_. He hadn't made any mention of wanting to be any more than that since the last time I saw him, and I wasn't really sure how I felt about that.

I wanted to be friends with Edward, sure, but the more I got to know him, the more I couldn't deny that I was developing a little crush on him. Who _wouldn't_? He was tall, lean, and had the most beautiful hands I'd ever seen on a man. His fingers were long and elegant looking, and I bet he could play a woman's body as well as Alice said he could play a piano. I still hadn't heard him play, though.

Before I knew it, it was September, and my birthday was approaching. By now, my communication was pretty much nonexistent with Bree, and conversations with my mother were short and tense. I had, however, been getting closer to Charlie. He didn't like to sit and chit-chat on the phone too much, but we did have several meaningful conversations. We even made plans for me to spend Christmas with him in Forks, as I'd already promised Renee I'd come home for Thanksgiving. Another plus to visiting Forks for Christmas was that Alice and her family would be there, too. So I'd get to see her, Edward, and Jasper again.

"So, your birthday is coming up, isn't it?" Edward asked one night via Facebook.

"Um...yeah, on the thirteenth," I replied. "Why?"

"I was just wondering what you wanted. You know, as a present…"

"Oh, nothing, really. I'm not big into gifts or being the center of attention. I try to lay low on my birthday," I told him. _I hope he isn't planning on getting me something!_

"Oh…okay then. I guess I won't send you this totally awesome present I have for you, then," he teased.

"Right, like you got me a gift," I rebuffed.

"What if I did? Would you make me return it?" he asked.

"Depends on what it is. I really don't feel comfortable having someone spend a lot of money on me," I admitted.

"What if what I got you didn't cost a thing?"

"Went dumpster diving, did you, Cullen?" I asked, smirking to myself.

"Maybe I did. Maybe I found the most amazing treasure _ever_, and I had to fight a homeless guy to win it for you. _Then, _would you make me take it back?"

Edward cracked me up. I was sitting on my bed, laughing so hard I had tears in my eyes. "Tell ya what, Cullen, if you went dumpster diving and had to fight a bum for the most amazing treasure _ever found_, I definitely would keep it."

"Good. Then you'll receive the most amazing treasure _ever _on your birthday," Edward said.

"You crack me up," I told him.

"You know you love it," he replied.

* * *

My birthday happened to fall on a Saturday, and Irina was nice enough to let me have the weekend off.

"So, what do you want to do today, birthday girl?" Rose asked me when I rolled out of bed.

"First: caffeine. After that, I don't care. I told you before, I don't want to make a big deal of it," I answered, heading straight for the coffee pot.

"Adam is bringing a cake over. You know that, right?"

"Yes, he already warned me. Hey, maybe we should invite Sam, Leah, Jacob, and the rest of the gang over to just hang out. We can…I don't know, play games or something," I offered.

"That sounds fun, actually. I'll go start the calls," Rose said, heading into her bedroom for her cell phone.

"Oh, hey, Rose, did a package come for me at all?"

"Not that I know of. Why, expecting something?" she yelled from her room.

"No, not really. Edward said he was sending 'the most amazing treasure ever' to me; I was just curious what it was," I told her, feeling a little bummed that nothing had come yet.

"Oh. Well, it's only ten, maybe UPS hasn't come this way yet," Rose suggested.

"Hmm, maybe."

About an hour later, Laurent called up saying there was, in fact, a package for me in the lobby, and that I needed to come retrieve it.

"Rose, I'm headed down to the lobby, I'll be right back," I called, walking quite quickly to the front door. _No, I wasn't excited. Nope. Not. At. All. _

"Hang on, I'll come with you," she said, running to catch up with me.

I was a fidgeting mess on the ride down to the lobby.

"What's got you so keyed up? I thought you _didn't _like presents?" Rose teased.

"Normally, I don't. But Edward was so adamant that I'd like this, I guess I'm just excited," I answered, trying to hide the grin on my face.

"So what's up between you and him, anyway? Are you 'just friends' or what?" she asked.

I sighed. "I don't know. Honestly, I'd like to be _more._ But with the distance, I'm not sure it'd be a good idea," I admitted sadly.

"You should talk to him about it, then, and see what he thinks," Rose advised.

"I know. I'm just a chicken shit."

Just then, the elevator doors opened. I entered the lobby and couldn't believe my eyes. There wasn't a package at all; it was just Edward with a giant red bow on his chest. His smile lit up the room, and before I knew it, I was running across the lobby and jumping into his arms. He smelled so good and felt so right, I never wanted to let him go. He held me in a tight hug for a few seconds, then sat me down on my feet. I couldn't keep the huge grin from my face.

"What are you doing here?" I asked in amazement, staring into his beautiful emerald eyes.

"I brought you the most amazing treasure ever…ME!" he told me happily. "Do you like it, or should I take it back?"

"I don't know…you did fib, you know. You said you didn't spend any money…" I hedged, a grin still firmly in place on my lips.

"Actually, I didn't _fib_. I cashed in some frequent flier miles. See? My promise is unbroken," he said smugly. I could see his eyes darting from my eyes to my lips. Being this close to him after all the conversations we'd shared made it hard not to let him just kiss me. Lord knew I wanted him to.

"How long are you here?" I asked.

"Just for today, really. I have a return flight tomorrow in the late afternoon. Sorry I couldn't stay longer," he said.

"No, that's fine. Come on upstairs and we can wait for the others to come by," I said, grabbing his hand and pulling him to the elevator.

"Hello, Edward," Rose said, pushing the elevator button.

I jumped a little; I had completely forgotten Rose was even there. She noticed, and gave me a knowing smirk.

"Hey, Rosalie. Did you get the picture?" he asked.

_Huh? Picture? What the…_

"What picture?" I asked, stepping into the elevator car.

"This one," Rose said, handing me her camera.

There, on the small screen, was me in Edward's arms – our smiles matching, showing our happiness at being together.

_Well Hell, I didn't even notice the flash!_

"But how did you know to bring your camera, hmm?"

"Edward called me a couple nights ago and asked what our plans were for your birthday. He wanted to surprise you. I just wanted to get the look on your face captured for all time," she said with a smile.

"Thanks, Rose," I said honestly, blushing a bit at the picture.

We got Edward settled in, and soon after, the rest of our friends showed up. Introductions were made (Leah whispered to me that he was hot and _totally _deserved another chance), pizza was ordered, and we pulled out the board games. It was decided quickly that Trivial Pursuitwould _not _be played because Leah and I were, according to our friends, book nerds and knew far too much information. Twister was thrown out because we weren't drinking, so we decided just to watch movies instead.

We all sat around talking while the movie played quietly in the background. My friends told Edward embarrassing stories about me – his favorite was me trying to surf – and Edward told similar stories about himself.

The pizzas came, we all ate, and then everyone sang "Happy Birthday" to me as I blew out my candles and made my wish. Edward asked me what I wished for. "I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you," I answered with a wink.

After cake, we went out to the beach where Jake and Sam started a bonfire. I brought my guitar with me and played a few songs. Sometimes I just sat there idly strumming while others were talking. The night was wonderful.

Throughout the whole day, Edward was at my side. He did little things like get my pizza for me, or refill my glass, without me even asking. He was kind and courteous, and when he wrapped a blanket around us on the beach, I couldn't help but to cuddle into his side. He was warm, smelled like the sea and some sort of cologne that was now my favorite, and it just felt…right. I suddenly felt like I knew what Rose was talking about on the plane. Was this love at first sight? No – not for me, anyway – but it definitely felt like by his side was where I should be.

"Hey, want to talk a walk with me?" I asked Edward.

A beautiful smile lit up his face. "Yeah, sure," he answered happily.

We wondered away from the group and down the beach a ways, before Edward slowly took my hand in his. "Is this okay?" he asked nervously.

I smiled up at him. "Definitely okay," I answered honestly.

"So, Edward…I've been thinking a lot about us lately," I began.

"Yeah? What about us, Miss Swan?"

"I've really enjoyed getting to know you the past few weeks," I told him.

"I've enjoyed getting to know you better, too, Bella," he said, giving my hand a small squeeze.

"I don't know how you feel about me, but I really like you. And I know I still haven't told you all about my family, and I will, but I was wondering…how do you feel about long-distance relationships?" I asked, too nervous to make eye contact with him.

"Well, Bella, if the long-distance relationship is with you, I'd be all for it. I know that you keep saying that I'll run away once you explain everything about your family, but I highly doubt it. I like you, Bella. It doesn't matter to me if your family is a bunch of gun-slinging bank robbers, my feelings for _you _won't change," he said, wrapping me in a warm hug.

I stood there in his embrace, thinking about what he had just said. He _liked_ me! He _wanted_ to be with me! I decided right then and there that I wanted Edward, too. Badly. It took me all of three seconds to decide what I wanted to do.

"Edward, what time is it?" I asked.

He gave me a confused look, then checked his watch. "It is…11:50 p.m. Why?"

"It's still my birthday. Can I ask you for one more thing?

"Of course, birthday girl."

"Kiss me."

His eyes widened in shock, then he licked his lips. Not wanting to wait, I rose up on the tips of my toes and pushed my lips to his. The chaste kiss was ended by Edward's tongue running softly across my bottom lip, silently asking for permission to deepen the kiss. I tilted my head to the side and parted my lips as we softly explored each other. I couldn't tell you how long I stood there kissing Edward, but when we parted to catch our breath, I knew I could have kissed him all night.

"You were right," I told him, my arms clasped around his neck.

"About what?" he asked curiously.

"You did bring me the most amazing treasure ever."

* * *

**So, what you do guys think? Leave me some love! **

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**Until next time...**


	13. Chapter 12  Catch Me

_Hey, would you look at that - another chapter! _

_Thanks to Marlena516 and SqueakyZorro for being awesome betas! They make me laugh, fix my commas and em dashes, and give amazing feedback. I love you hard, ladies!_

_Thanks to everyone who reads and reviews. Reviews make my heart happy!_

_I'm writing an outtake for this story, in Bree's POV for Fandom Fights Mental Illness. Find more info on Twitter: FandomFightsMI_

_I don't own the Twiverse, but I WILL be going to see Water For Elephants this weekend!_

_Here we go!_

* * *

Chapter 12 – Catch Me

After the phenomenal kiss with Edward, we went back to join my friends on the beach.

"Hey, Bells, your phone's been going off, so I put it on silent," Rose said, tossing me my cell.

I glanced at my missed messages and saw that they were both from Jamie and Emmett, wishing me a happy birthday. It was then that I realized I hadn't gotten a call or text from my mom or Bree. Dad had sent me a birthday card, as was his usual custom, but I hadn't opened it yet. I must have had a weird look on my face, because Edward asked me what was wrong.

"Nothing, really. I just realized I haven't heard from my mom or sister today," I told him.

"I'm sorry," he said, sounding sincere.

"It's not a big deal. It's just unusual," I told him with a shrug.

I pushed the disappointment to the back of my mind and enjoyed my time with Edward and my friends. Sometime around one, we all decided to call it a night. Everyone hugged me and wished me a happy birthday again, and they all went their separate ways.

"I'm going to take a shower and head to bed," Rose told Edward and me when we got back home.

"Okay, goodnight, Rose," I said, hugging her.

"'Night, Rose," Edward said with a nod.

Rosalie disappeared into her room and shut the door softly.

"Well, now what?" Edward asked, wrapping me in a warm hug.

"I could use a shower, too. Do you mind waiting for me? I'll make it quick."

"Of course," he said.

I led Edward to my bedroom, gave him the remote for the TV, and told him to make himself at home. I grabbed some shorts and a shirt and ran into the bedroom. After taking the fastest shower of my life and making sure my legs and armpits didn't look like wooly mammoths, I exited the bathroom to see Edward lying on my bed. He had changed into dark gray sweatpants and a t-shirt. He had one arm behind his head, which caused his shirt to ride up his stomach a bit, exposing a sliver of flesh and a hint of a happy trail. Just the sight of that small patch of skin was enough to make my lady bits tingle – hell, I hadn't seen any action since Quil left – but I wasn't one of _those _girls. Edward _wasn't _getting lucky tonight, but the thought of maybe seeing him naked in the future was enough to bring a grin to my face.

"What are you grinning at, Miss Swan?" Edward teased, quirking an eyebrow at me.

_Yeah, he fucking knows he looks yummy. _

"Nothing," I replied, rolling my eyes, and crossed the room to sit next to him on the bed.

"Today was fun. Thank you for letting me invade your birthday like this. When I talked to Rosalie about coming out here, I was worried that you would feel I was intruding or something. She assured me you wouldn't mind. I hope you don't," he said, a hint of uncertainty playing in his eyes.

I smiled brightly at him. "Edward, no one has ever done something so sweet for me. Ever. You gave up your weekend and flew half way across the country just to see me. I loved it. It was a great surprise," I told him as I laid my head on his chest and hugged his waist.

He chuckled softly. "It's not a problem, Bella. I wanted to see you," he said as he ran his fingers slowly through my wet hair.

At some point I must have fallen asleep, because before I knew it, I opened my eyes and the sun was streaming through my open window. I hadn't slept that soundly in a long time. I went to roll over, but was stopped by a pair of warm, strong arms squeezing me softly.

"Please don't move yet. I'm enjoying this," Edward said sleepily.

I smiled to myself as a warm feeling spread though my body. I could get used to waking up like this. Too bad Edward had to go home today.

I would have stayed there for hours, but I _really _had to pee, and I was sure I had dragon breath.

"I really need to get up," I told Edward, placing a kiss on him arm, "unless you want this to become a water bed."

"That's nasty," he teased, releasing me from his grip.

"But true," I said over my shoulder just before I shut the bathroom door.

After answering Mother Nature's call and brushing my teeth, I entered my room to find Edward still lying on my bed with an amused look on his face.

"What are you grinning at, Mr. Cullen?" I asked, using his words from last night.

"Nothing." He smirked, mocking me as well.

"So, what would you like to do today?" I asked him, grabbing my cell off the bedside table and joining him on the bed.

"It doesn't matter to me," he answered, and pulled me next to him, resting his arm around my shoulder.

I looked at my phone and saw I had five missed calls. One was from Emmett, and four were from my mom. _Well it's about damn time, Mom!_

I dialed my voicemail and put my phone on speaker.

"What are you doing?" Edward asked.

"Seeing what my mother's brilliant excuse is for forgetting to call me on my birthday," I answered.

"_You have three new messages,"_ the computer-generated voice told me.

I wondered to myself why she would leave so many messages, and the first one began to play.

"_Bella, it's Mom. Call me._" Renee's clipped tone came across the speaker.

"Well, that was rude," I mumbled as I deleted the message and listened to the next.

"_Bells, it's Em. I know it's late, but call me ASAP. It's important. Thanks. Oh, happy birthday, again_."

I shrugged my shoulders and continued to the last message.

"_Bella, It's Mom. Look, I didn't want to do this over the phone, but Bree's been arrested. _Please_ call me as soon as you get this. Oh, my god! I completely forgot it's your birthday! I'm sorry, honey. Have fun, but please call me – soon. Love you._"

"Did I hear that right?" I asked Edward. "Did she say my sister got arrested?" I pulled away from him and looked at him worriedly.

"Unfortunately, that's what she said. Maybe you should call her and ask what happened. I'll give you some privacy," he said, rising from the bed and heading for the door.

"Thanks," I mumbled. He nodded and closed the door softly behind him.

I swallowed, took a deep breath, and called Renee.

* * *

_**EPOV**_

Coming here to visit Bella had been a great idea. Not only had she agreed to be my girlfriend, but she kissed me! Falling asleep with her in my arms was amazing. It made me wish we didn't live so far away from each other. She fit perfectly against me, like she was made for me. I didn't ever want to get out of bed this morning. When she came out of the bathroom with her hair slightly rumpled and her eyes still sleepy, I couldn't help but be happy. That was, until she checked her messages. I knew from our Facebook chats and phone calls that she was really worried about her sister. Now, one of her biggest fears had come true, and her baby sister was in jail. The look on her face was heartbreaking, and I could understand. If it was reversed, and Alice was the one in trouble, I'd feel the same exact way. I excused myself from her room to give her some privacy, and saw Rose sitting at the breakfast nook.

"Good morning, Rose," I greeted.

"Morning, Edward," she said, not taking her eyes from her laptop. "Coffee's fresh, if you want some."

"Thanks," I said, and began hunting for a mug.

"Cabinet right in front of you," Rose said, seeing my dilemma.

I nodded my thanks and retrieved a cup, filling it with the delicious beverage.

"Is Bella awake yet?" she asked, closing her laptop.

"Yeah, she's talking to her mom on the phone right now," I answered.

"Oh, yeah? Did the scatterbrain finally call?" Rose asked, shaking her head.

"Actually, she called, but it was about Bella's sister," I told her.

"What happened?" Rose inquired, looking concerned.

"I'm not sure. That's what Bella's finding out now," I replied, not wanting to tell Rose Bella's business. If she wanted her to know, she could tell her.

"Do you mind if I use your bathroom?" I asked, not wanting to enter Rosalie's bedroom without permission.

"Knock yourself out, just don't mind the mess," she told me, rising and heading for the couch.

I thanked her and went through her room to her bathroom, noticing that the room was a little cluttered, but not really a mess. _Women!_

* * *

_**BPOV**_

I hung up the phone and stared numbly at the bright, sunny, California morning outside my window. Just a few minutes ago, I was happily bantering back and forth with Edward. Now I felt cold and scared for my sister. I grabbed my smokes and headed out to the balcony.

"Where's Edward?" I asked Rose as I opened the French doors to our balcony and lit a cigarette.

"He's using the bathroom. Is everything okay? You look like shit," Rose answered.

"No, I'm not," I told her, as Edward re-entered the living room.

"How'd it go?" he asked, coming to me and pulling me in to a warm hug.

I couldn't hold the dam anymore. I began sobbing into his chest as he ran a soothing hand along my back. He and Rose were quiet, giving me my moment. I really appreciated both of them for it.

When I finally got my crying under control, I wiped the tears from my face and began to explain what Renee had just told me.

"So, I just talked to Renee," I began, sitting down at the patio table and bouncing my knee in an effort to expel some nervous energy. "She said Bree got arrested last night."

Rose let out a gasp but didn't interrupt. Edward grabbed my left hand and gave it a soft squeeze.

"From what the police told my mom, she was with Riley when he got pulled over for speeding. When the cop got to the car, he could smell pot pretty heavily, so he pulled both of them out and searched them. Riley got arrested for having marijuana and paraphernalia on him, and Bree had some pot and pills on her. Mom said the officer said they looked like Xanax, but they have to test them to be sure. Either way, she's being charged with possession of marijuana and a controlled substance," I said, breaking down and crying again.

"I'm so sorry, Bella," Edward said softly, holding me again, and placing a soft kiss on the top of my head.

"What's going to happen to her now?" Rose asked.

I sniffed and continued. "She was taken to the county lock-up. They don't have a juvenile center, so she has to stay in a holding cell until she can be transferred tomorrow. She should see a judge late tomorrow or early Tuesday about bail. Mom's calling a lawyer first thing tomorrow morning," I told them.

"Do you know if they will be charging her as an adult?" Edward asked.

"I have no clue," I answered honestly. "Can they do that?"

"From what I know of the law, which isn't a lot, they could try. But she's only fourteen, right?"

"Yes."

"Well, if she hasn't been in trouble before, they might not even bring it up. Listen, my uncle is a lawyer in Chicago; I can ask him if he can help your mom out. At the very least, maybe he can recommend a good lawyer to her," Edward offered.

"You don't have to do that," I mumbled.

"Bella," Edward started, gently lifting my chin so he could look me in the eye, "I _want _to," he told me earnestly.

"Thanks," I said, blushing at his intense stare.

"I know you will shoot me for asking, but what happened with Riley?" Rose asked, breaking my and Edward's moment.

"Oh, um, he's still in there, too. Even though he's sixteen, and technically a minor, he has priors. Mom said that they might not let him have bail at all since he's still on probation," I answered.

_That fucking Riley! This is all _his _fault, _I thought angrily.

"Did your mom get to talk to Bree?" Rose asked.

"Yeah, she was able to go see her last night. She said Bree was cold and refused to say much," I answered sadly.

"Give her a few days. I'm sure she's just freaking out," Edward offered.

"Maybe. Okay," I said, rising to my feet, "I refuse to let this spoil our short time together, Edward. Let's go do something fun. It will help keep my mind off this crap."

"What do you have in mind?" he asked.

"Want to see the Santa Monica Pier in the daytime?" I asked, alluding to our late night "dates" there just a short time ago.

Edward smiled at the same memories. "Sounds fun. I'll get dressed, and then we can head out," he said, walking to my bedroom.

I let him get dressed, and plopped down on the couch.

"Are you really okay?" Rose asked, concern clearly displayed on her face.

"Yeah. Once the initial shock wears off, I'll probably crash, though," I told her honestly.

"You know I'm here if you need me, right?"

"I know," I said, hugging her.

"Well, here," she said, handing me an envelope. "You never opened the card from your Dad."

"It's probably just a card with some money in it. That's what he usually does," I told her, ripping the envelope open.

When I pulled the card from the envelope, a paper fell out. Not paying attention to it just yet, I read the inscription from my dad:

_Bella,_

_Happy birthday, sweetheart! I can't believe you're already nineteen! It seems like yesterday you were a little girl. _

_Anyway, your birthday present is enclosed. I hope you don't mind. Can't wait to see you at Christmas!_

_Dad and Sue_

I read his words twice before I even realized what I was reading. It was Charlie's handwriting, but the words sounded more deep and emotional than what I was used to hearing from him. And who was _Sue_? He had mentioned he had been on a few dates, but he hadn't mentioned a name, or that it was very serious. Seeing such heartfelt words from my dad brought tears to my eyes again.

"What's wrong?" Rose asked.

"Nothing," I answered, picking up the paper that had fallen out of the card. I looked at it and gasped.

"You're freaking me out, what is that?" Rose insisted.

"It's an airline ticket, so I can visit for Christmas," I told her, tears sliding down my cheeks. It was the nicest thing Charlie had done for me in a long time.

"Aww, that's sweet," Rose gushed.

"I know I am," Edward teased, entering the room looking and smelling yummy. _I've got to find out what that cologne is and bathe in it! _He looked amazing – he was freshly shaved, wearing khaki cargo shorts and a navy blueLincoln Park High School baseball t-shirt.

I might have ogled him just a bit.

"See something you like, Swan?" he asked cockily.

Rose let out a very unladylike snort, and I just shook my head at him.

"Yeah, as a matter of fact, I do. My dad sent me a plane ticket," I told him, trying to deflate his ego.

It didn't work. He quirked an eyebrow at me, clearly showing that he knew I was full of shit, and came to sit next to me.

"I didn't know you were planning on going to Forks for Christmas," he said, looking at the ticket.

"We've talked about it a little. I'm going home for Thanksgiving, and I really should get to know him better. I feel like a schmuck for not doing that sooner," I admitted.

"You know, we'll be in Forks then, as well," he said, smiling slyly at me.

"I know. Alice told me," I informed him, smirking.

"Maybe we could spend some time together while you're there?" he offered.

My heart sank at the thought of not seeing him for another three months.

"Don't worry, we'll see each other before then – even if I have to spring another sneak attack on you," he said, as though he could read my thoughts, and placed a kiss on my forehead.

I saw his eyes drift to my card. "Wow, so it _is _true," he said to himself.

"What's true?" I asked, looking at the card again.

"Oh," he started, a blush coloring his cheeks lightly. "The Chief and Sue Clearwater. The last time I was in Forks, rumors were flying that they were dating. I guess it's true."

"See? This is why I need to visit my Dad. You know more about him than I do!"

* * *

After asking Rose if she wanted to join us – and her declining the offer – Edward and I set off for a trip to the Pier. Luckily, it was late Sunday morning and the traffic was fairly light, so we got there in no time at all.

"This brings back memories," he said with a smile.

"Yeah, it does," I agreed.

Edward and I spent the rest of the afternoon together at the Pier. We browsed shops, rode the Ferris wheel, and ate lunch at the Mexican restaurant we'd eaten at a few weeks ago. He talked about baseball and how disappointed he was when he couldn't play anymore. He was thankful that the injury still allowed him to play piano, though. He told me about how he had kept his love for playing piano, and classical music in general, hidden from his friends for many years because he was afraid they would make fun of him for it. That was one reason he had turned to baseball. While it was something he enjoyed, it also gave him something to talk about with his friends. It wasn't until he got hurt that he told his friends of his musical ability. To his surprise, they hadn't made fun of him, but were impressed.

I told him about growing up in a small town, and how it was sometimes difficult to have parents who were well-known in the close-knot community. I could only imagine it would have been worse if I had grown up with Charlie, though. I told him about how well-liked Phil had been. It was then that he asked the question I knew would come up. Honestly, I had kind of hoped he would ask. I wasn't sure how to bring the subject up.

"So, if you don't mind me asking, what happened to make Phil, and your family, such outcasts?" he asked.

I sighed and took a drink of the sweet tea Edward bought me. "I'll tell you, but I'm really afraid of how you'll react," I answered honestly.

"Bella, I already told you – I like you for _you_. Please, don't be afraid to talk to me," he said, taking my hand in his across the table.

"Phil's a woman now. Well, not yet, technically. But he will be," I said, not really sure how I wanted to explain it to Edward.

"So, he's a cross-dresser?" he asked curiously.

"Sort of. Gah! I never know how to explain it," I answered, exasperated. "He told my mom that he wanted to live as a woman. He dresses like a woman and he has begun taking female hormones. Eventually, his…uh…outtie will be an innie, if you know what I mean."

"Wow. So, is he like…confused by what gender he wants to be? Sorry for all the questions. I guess I just don't understand," Edward said, an apologetic look on his face.

"It's fine, really. It's a lot to take in, I know. He said it's called gender dysphoria. From what Phil said, and what I've read online, it's like being born in a male's body, but feeling female, and vice versa. You just feel like you're in the wrong body, I guess," I tried to explain.

"And this bothers people in your hometown?"

"Yes. You saw how small it is. They don't accept change well," I said with a humorless laugh. "The gossip mill went nuts. All the old biddies and stuck-up bitches of Delphi shunned my parents, and the kids shunned us. It didn't bother me as much as it bothered Bree, though. I didn't have many friends, and the ones I had liked me regardless of what their parents said because they knew me. Bree's friends, however, were products of their snobby-ass parents, and they treated her like she had grown a second head. They began whispering about her and taping mean notes on her locker. Some openly mocked her in the hallways. She was devastated. Before all this shit, she was a Queen Bee – the epitome of middle school social hierarchy."

"So, she went from being on top to rock bottom?" Edward asked.

"Exactly. She hadn't ever really formed meaningful friendships, just ones based on what she wore and who her parents were. Her friends couldn't have cared less that they were tearing her apart, because in doing so, they were elevating their own fucking social status," I replied, disgusted.

"No wonder she's rebelling the way she is," Edward said sympathetically.

"Yeah. Well, she discovered that the only kids who'd hang out with her were other social outcasts. That's about the time Riley took notice of her. I'd heard things about him and his brother, James. Bree got pissed when I asked her not to hang out with them. She said that I should know better than to believe rumors about people and that Riley really is a good guy. Guess she was wrong," I said, sighing.

"Look on the bright side – maybe this is the wake-up call she needed? Maybe, now that she's been arrested, she will realize what she's doing isn't right," Edward suggested.

"I hope you're right," I said, rising out of the booth to throw my trash away.

Edward rose as well and checked his watch. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we'd better head back so I can make my flight," he said, sadly.

My heart sank. "Yeah, I guess so," I said, taking his hand and exiting the restaurant.

The drive back to my apartment was quiet, but not uncomfortable. I thought about all the crap with my sister and my budding romance with Edward. The latter put a smile on my face.

We got back to the apartment and Edward gathered his things. He hugged Rose goodbye, and she wished him a safe trip. We were off in my car again – this time to the airport. When we arrived, he still had about fifteen minutes before he needed to head through security, and we spent the time just sitting together. He pulled me into his lap and held me in a tight hug.

"I'm going to miss this," I told him.

"Me, too."

"Call me when you land?"

"Of course."

I nodded and got off his lap. With one more hug and a searing kiss, Edward was moving through security. I watched him until I couldn't see him anymore, and I couldn't help but miss him already. Getting to know him through Facebook and phone calls the last few weeks had been nice, with no pressure from being face-to-face. I felt like I could really be myself and not have to put on a show, like I often felt when talking to people in person. I also didn't feel as uncomfortable sharing more personal things with him, since I couldn't see the reaction on his face. I felt close – connected – to Edward on a deep level. The fact that he didn't freak out over Phil was a huge plus, too.

I walked back out to my car, and just as I was about to back out of my parking spot, I got a text message:

_B-_

_Miss you already :) _

_E_

Warmth spread all over my body. Every time I spoke to Edward, or spent time with him, I felt closer to him. He was quickly becoming a big part of my life, and this scared and excited me. I have wanted to fall in love for as long as I could remember, but the thought of being so open and vulnerable with someone is terrifying. I truly believed I was falling in love with Edward considering I've never felt this connected to someone before. All I know is, no matter what life threw at me or my family; I hoped that I'd have Edward at my side.

* * *

_Before I fall too fast,_

_Kiss me quick but make it last, _

_So I can see how badly this will hurt me_

_When you say goodbye._

_Keep it sweet. Keep it slow._

_Let the future pass and don't let go._

_But tonight I could fall too soon into this beautiful moonlight._

_But you're so hypnotizing, _

_You've got me laughing while I sing,_

_You've got me smiling in my sleep._

_And I can see this unraveling._

_Your love is where I'm falling,_

_But please don't catch me._

_See this heart won't settle down_

_Like a child running scared from a clown._

_I'm terrified of what you do _

_My stomach screams just when I look at you._

_Run far away so I can breathe,_

_Even though you're far from suffocating me._

_I can't set my hopes too high, _

'_Cause every hello ends with a goodbye._

_But you're so hypnotizing,_

_You've got me laughing while I sing,_

_You've got me smiling in my sleep._

_And I can see this unraveling._

_Your love is where I'm falling,_

_But please don't catch me._

_So now you see why I'm scared._

_I can't open up my heart without a care._

_But here I go; it's what I feel,_

_And for the first time in my life I know it's real._

_But you're so hypnotizing,_

_You've got me laughing while I sing,_

_You've got me smiling in my sleep._

_And I can see this unraveling._

_Your love is where I'm falling, _

_So please don't catch me._

_If this is love please don't beak me_

_I'm giving up, so just catch me._

_~~ **Catch Me, Demi Lavato** ~~_

* * *

So...what ya think? Does anyone else see a storm on the horizon?

The next 2 or 3 chapters are going to move pretty quick. The next one will cover Thanksgiving, ch 14 will cover Christmas/New Year, and either the end of 14 or beginning of 15 will bring us our main tragedy. Y'all have been waiting so patiently for it, I'm trying to bring it ASAP!

I think that's all for now...please review. Seriously, it makes me happy dance!

Catch me on Twitter: camdengirl Let me know your from the fandom so i don't delete you :)

Until next time...


	14. Chapter 13  Simply Irresistible

_Hello, my lovlies! I am SOOOOO sorry about the delay. The kids were finishing up their school year, and time got away from me. Thank you for being so patient._

_This chapter is shorter than my usual ones, but it's kind of a transition, so it needed to me. The next chapter will cover Thanksgiving, and I will tell you that there will be quite the discussion between Bella/Bree, and Bella/Renee. You don't want to miss it! Our "tragedy" will be chapter 15, so hold on to your socks!_

_Thanks to SqueakyZorro and Marlena516 for your awesome beta skills. Just a note...I was told **30 times **by these two to "delete comma." Apparently, I was a comma whore this chapter! LOL_

_I don't own anything, SM does._

_Enjoy the show!_

* * *

Chapter 13 – Simply Irresistible

On Monday, Bree posted bail and was released to Renee's custody, pending a hearing. True to his word, Edward contacted his uncle who was a lawyer. Fortunately for us, his uncle, Peter, was licensed in the state of Indiana, so he was able to help Mom out. He even told Renee it was pro bono. I had a feeling Edward had something to do with that.

I called Bree on Monday night, but she got on the phone and told me to fuck myself, then promptly hung up. It really bothered me that she was shutting me out, we used to be so close. There was a time that she would have told me anything. I didn't understand why she was acting this way. I told Rose & she said to give her a couple of days and try again.

I called Charlie on Tuesday, in between classes, and thanked him for the plane ticket.

"Hey, Dad," I greeted.

"Hey, Bells. Did you get my card?"

"Yes, I did. Thank you, by the way. That was really sweet of you."

I heard him cough a little before responding, "No problem, Bells. We wanted to help out."

I grinned to myself. "_We_, Dad? Is there something you need to tell me?" I teased.

"Well…you see…remember when I told you I was dating?" he stuttered.

"Yes," I answered with a smile on my face.

"Well, we've gotten more serious. Before you come out for Christmas, she'll be living here. Now, I know this might be difficult for you…"

"Dad, calm down," I interrupted with a laugh. "It's fine. Mom's been remarried for years. I think I can handle visiting you with a live-in girlfriend. I'm happy for you."

"Thanks, I'm glad. I wasn't sure how you would feel about me dating," he said, anxiety over the personal conversation evident in his voice.

"Look, Dad, relax. I'm a big girl, and I have divorced parents. You're going to date. I just hope she's good for you, that's all," I assured him.

"She is, Bella. She's amazing. Sue is sweet, caring, and she can cook," he said with reverence.

"Wow, it sounds like you're quite smitten, Dad," I said with a laugh.

"I guess I am," he said. I could practically feel the heat of his blush through the phone. "How are classes going?"

"Nice redirect, Officer," I teased. "They're going quite well."

"That's good to hear. How are things with your mom?"

I sighed. "Not good. Bree got arrested over the weekend."

"Oh, wow. What for?" he asked, sounding concerned.

"Possession of marijuana and a controlled substance," I admitted.

"My God, what was the controlled substance?"

"They suspect Xanax."

"Jesus. Is she out yet?"

"Yeah, they let her out on bail yesterday. Edward's uncle is a lawyer, and he's helping Mom out."

"That's good, but can she afford it? I'm sure he's quite expensive." Charlie worried.

"He's doing it for free. He said he sympathizes with Mom's situation, but I think Edward had something to do with it," I told him with a smile. Edward denied it when I asked, but I could see him doing something that nice. Hell, he just flew out here to see me! Why wouldn't pull some strings with his uncle?

"If it wasn't Edward, then it was Carlisle. Carlisle Cullen is the kindest man I've ever met," he said, respect for Edward's dad clearly displayed through his voice.

"I think Peter is actually Esme's brother, but I'm not sure. Either way, I'm glad he's helping. Mom could use a leg up, you know?"

"I know. I called out there a few months ago, after you told me what was going on with Phil, and asked if I could help. Of course, she turned down my offer, but it still stands. Things may not have worked out between us, but I still have respect for your mother and care about her. I don't like the crap Phil's put her through."

I wasn't entirely surprised at this. When I was younger, I thought he still loved her, but it was obvious he had moved on. It also touched me that he cared about my little sister, even though she wasn't his and they had never met.

There was silence; I wasn't sure what to say. _Do I say "Oh__,__ yeah, Dad, Phil's a dick?"_ I checked my phone to make sure the call hadn't been dropped, and then he spoke up, "Okay. Well, I hate to cut this short, but I need to get going. You take care of yourself, and call me if you need anything."

"I will, Dad. Thanks again for the plane ticket."

"Sure thing, kiddo. I love you, Bella."

"Love you too, Dad."

* * *

The rest of September flew by. I continued my nightly talks with Edward, either through Facebook or by phone. We even Skyped a few times. Each conversation made me feel closer and closer to him, and I dreaded having to log off or hang up the phone. We talked about our families, school, what we were like as kids, our musical tastes – just about anything and everything that came to mind. It was wonderful getting to know each other so well, but I missed him. I wanted to be with him and do things with him that couples do. I wanted to have dinner with him, or go see a movie. I wanted him to hold me, and kiss me, and I wanted to fall asleep in his arms.

I also wanted to sleep with him. The more we talked, the more heated the conversations got, too. We were _this close _to actual phone sex, and I would be a liar if I said I didn't want to jump his bones. I would also be lying if I said I didn't touch myself while thinking of him almost nightly. I wanted Edward – _badly. _From the huskiness in his voice over the phone sometimes, I could tell he wanted me, too. But that was the problem with long-distance relationships – lack of physical contact. I knew that eventually, our patience would pay off. I just hoped actually making love to Edward would be as wonderful as it was in my mind.

I also tried several times to talk to Bree again, but she either wouldn't take my calls or would hang up on me as soon as Renee gave her the phone. This broke my heart completely. I knew my sister was hurting, especially since Riley was still in jail, and she was refusing to confide in me like she used to. The Breanna Jane Dwyer that I knew and loved was gone, and all that was left was an angry, spiteful, and drug-addicted fifteen-year-old. The turnaround in her behavior since I had left home left me reeling, and it didn't help that Renee was putting a good portion of the blame on me. How it was my fault, I'd never know. I thought she was rebelling against Phil and all of his issues, but anytime I brought that up to my mom, she told me that it wasn't fair to blame him for this. It wasn't his fault that he was born different. I often had to bite my tongue so that we wouldn't end up in a shouting match. Why she chose to blame _me _for Bree's problems, and not that husband of hers, was beyond me. Maybe she should look in the mirror, too. I doubted she was paying attention to Bree in a positive way, so she was acting out. Whatever the situation was, I knew it wasn't _my _fault, and it saddened me and pissed me off that I wasn't able to help.

Before I knew it, October passed, and it was Halloween, which fell on a Friday. Felix had an idea to have all the waitresses dress up like the models from the old Robert Palmer videos, and he dressed in a suit. All of us acted out the iconic videos for _Simply Irresistible _and _Addicted to Love,_ while Felix sang. He also talked me into singing _I Did You, Babe_ – a dirty version of the Sonny and Cher song. The bar was packed all night, and I was running my ass off, but I was making great tips. Maybe I'd be able to save up enough money to surprise Edward like he had me.

The best part of the night was when Felix played _Thriller,_ and a bunch of people, staff and patrons included, busted out the dance like it was 1985. It was really fun, but I wished Edward was with me. He would have had a blast. At the end of the night, I was tired and just couldn't wait to take a shower and fall into bed.

"Rose, I'm home!" I yelled when I got in the door at two a.m.

"She's not here," I heard a voice say from the couch.

"Oh, my God, Edward!" I screamed, running to him.

"Hello, beautiful," he greeted, wrapping his arms around me.

"When did you get here? Why didn't you tell me you were coming early? How long are you staying?" I rambled, just fucking excited that he was here. We had made plans for him to come out next weekend, so seeing him here _now _was a shock.

"About a half an hour ago; I didn't want to wait anymore to see you; and I'm yours until Wednesday," he said, answering all of my questions.

"Really?" I asked, pulling away just enough to look in his eyes.

"Really," he answered with a smile.

"How did you get so many days away from school?"

"I worked ahead a little, nothing major. I _may _have told a fib about a sick relative as well," he answered with a smirk.

"You dirty little liar," I teased, smacking him lightly on the arm. "So, where's Rose?"

"She left shortly after I got here to pick up someone. She said something about taking a drunken friend home."

"Um…okay. Well, hey, I feel like a scum ball. Do you mind if I hop in the shower real quick?" I asked, trying to covertly smell my armpits.

"But you look so lovely in this get-up," he said, taking my hand and spinning me. "Tight black dresses suit you. The blood-red lipstick is quite sexy as well. And I could _definitely _get used to this dark eye makeup," he told me with a wink.

"Yeah, all the waitresses dressed up like Robert Palmer models for Halloween," I told him.

"You really do look lovely," he said, his eyes darkening and filling with lust.

Tingles started at my scalp and raced straight to my core. It amazed me how turned on I could get from just one look.

"That might be, but I'm sure I smell like sweat, cigarette smoke, and general bar ickiness," I told him, trying to back away from him self-consciously.

Edward pulled me to him so that our chests were touching. He ran his nose from my cheek to the crook of my neck and inhaled deeply. "I think you smell delicious, Bella," he whispered.

I shivered from the feel of his warm breath across my skin and from the obvious bulge he was pressing lightly against me. I lifted my head, and our eyes met. The look of pure lust and adoration in his eyes made my knees weak. Before I knew what was happening, we were kissing. Chastely at first, then I decided to deepen the kiss. I ran my tongue along his full bottom lip trying to get him to open for me. He complied, and I nearly passed out from the sensation of our tongues pressing lightly together. I rose onto my tiptoes to reach him better, wrapped my arms around his neck, and poured every ounce of affection I had for him into the kiss.

Edward ran his hands slowly across my shoulders, down my back, and rested them on my ass. He gave a slight squeeze, and I gasped at the sensation. I felt him smirk against my lips before he moved his hands to the back of my thighs, pulling up on them. I instinctively wrapped my legs around his waist, and he walked us over to the couch. Never breaking the kiss, he sat us down with me still in his lap. From my angle upon his legs, I could feel his erection pressing into me and ground into it, getting the friction I so desperately craved. Edward moaned into my mouth and moved his hands up to the sides of my face.

Edward pulled back in an effort to breathe. "Fuck, Bella, I've been waiting to do this for so long," he admitted, trying to catch his breath.

"Me, too," I told him while placing light kisses on his cheek, working my way to his ear.

A soft kiss below his ear earned a giggle from Edward. Yes – a _giggle!_ "Bella, please…that tickles," he admitted.

"What? This?" I asked mischievously, kissing the same spot again. He jerked with a laugh, his chin banging into my nose.

"Ouch!" I yelled, instantly grabbing my nose.

"Oh, my god, Bella, I'm _so _sorry! Are you okay? Here, let me see," Edward said quickly, removing my hands from my nose to inspect it.

"You're not bleeding, so I think you'll be okay. God, I really know how to kill the mood, huh?" Edward said dejectedly, running his hands through his beautiful hair.

"Edward," I said, taking his hands from his hair and placing them on my ass, "No blood, no foul. Now shut up and kiss me."

Edward's eyes widened in shock, then he squeezed my ass playfully and began kissing me again. Kissing him was like a religious experience, and I was a willing convert. I ground down onto his erection again, trying to spur him on. It did the trick, as his hands slid up my back to the top of my zipper. He slowly lowered it and slid his hands in the opening.

"So soft," I heard him murmur as he felt my skin for the first time. He unclasped my strapless bra and ran his hands along the sides of my breasts. This simple touch set my skin on fire, and I thought I'd come undone from it.

Not to be outdone, I grabbed the hem of his long-sleeved tee-shirt and pulled it over his head. The sight of him shirtless was amazing. He wasn't exactly muscular, but he had defined abs and arms. The small patch of hair on his chest started just above his nipples, and tapered into a happy trail that lead to the promised land. I briefly wondered if it grew naturally that way, or if he waxed it, but I couldn't care less, really.

I leaned down to kiss his shoulders, his collarbone, and back up, when he ran his fingers just under my armpits, causing _me_ to jerk and laugh this time.

"Ticklish?" he asked with a small laugh.

"Just a little," I replied, kissing him once again.

Edward placed his hands on my shoulders, under my dress, and eased it down my arms. He paused just before he uncovered my breasts, waiting for me to tell him no, I'm sure. Seeing that I didn't protest, he lowered the dress so that it pooled around my waist. He pulled away from my face, staring at my naked torso in front of him. His gaze traveled from my breasts, met my eyes, and back down. He inhaled sharply, and I was suddenly nervous that he didn't like what he saw. I wasn't very large-chested, a B-cup, but I never thought to ask him what his preference was. I assumed that since he had asked me to be his girlfriend that he liked my body, but now that he was actually seeing it, I couldn't be sure. I hunched my shoulders in an effort to cover myself.

"Bella, please, don't hide yourself from me," Edward pleaded. I raised my head, and all I could see was adoration in his eyes.

"You're beautiful," he told me. I smiled shyly, pressed my chest against his, and wrapped my arms around his neck, kissing him again with everything I had.

The feeling of his skin against mine was beyond arousing. The feel of his soft, warm tongue in my mouth and the slight tickle of his chest hair against my nipples set me on fire. I began grinding into him again – I needed the friction so badly, I thought I'd burst.

Edward slid his hands around to the top of my thighs and began rubbing them. As he slowly slid them up further, I almost cried in ecstasy, anticipating his touch where I wanted it so badly. I threw my head back, and he took my right nipple in his mouth, sucking and nibbling gently.

"Fuck, that feels amazing," I said breathlessly, pressing his head harder into my chest.

His hands slid to the inside of my thighs, and they shook in excitement. I was so worked up, I was sure I would cover his hands in my juices after one touch. Edward's eyes looked up into mine, seeking permission to go further. I nodded slightly, and I felt him sigh in relief. He pulled my underwear to the side with his left index finger. I moaned softly, encouraging him to just hurry the fuck up, when all of a sudden, the front door opened, then closed.

"What the FUCK?" I screamed, locking eyes with Rosalie.

Three things happened at once: Rose's jaw dropped so hard and fast, I was sure it would unhinge; Edward snapped his head around to see who I was yelling at, then quickly tried to cover my naked chest; and I…well, I just started laughing. Uncontrollably. I started laughing so hard I fucking _snorted_! How could I _not_? I'd just got caught making out with my boyfriend – both of us shirtless – on the couch by my roommate. That shit was just plain funny.

"Ohmigod, Bella, I'm _so _sorry!" Rose yelled in a rush, quickly running across the living room, and darting into her bedroom. The sight of her diving and taking cover like a ninja just spurred my laughter, and I was now laughing so hard, my stomach hurt and tears were rolling down my cheeks.

Edward had his face buried in my chest, still trying to protect my modesty, but I could feel him shaking with laughter as well. He looked up at me from between my breasts, and the sight set me off again. Soon, I was literally lying on the floor laughing, with my breasts still hanging out, while Edward sat next to me laughing just as hard.

"Dammit, Bella! Get a shirt on so I can come out!" Rose yelled from behind her door.

"Yeah, yeah, have some patience!" I yelled back in between laughs.

Edward had sobered up a little and was trying to help me get my arms back in my sleeves, but every few seconds one of us would start laughing again, causing the other to join in. I imagined this was what it was like to try to dress a squirming toddler.

"Okay, the living room is tit-free, Rose. You can come out now," I said, sitting back down on the couch after Edward had pulled his shirt back on.

Rose opened her door slowly and peeked out like a scared child.

"Jesus, Rose. I have a shirt on – get your ass out here," I demanded, before I broke down in another laughing fit at her dramatics.

Rose eyed us warily and sat on the chair on the other end of the couch.

"So, do I need to get the couch cleaned, or what?" she asked, trying not to smile at us.

This sent Edward and I into another fit of laughter, and this time, Rose joined in, too.

"No need, Rose. You interrupted us before it got that far," I answered once I was calm enough to speak again.

"Good to know," she said with a smirk.

"So, who did you have to go pick up?" I asked, snuggling into Edward's side. He wrapped his arm around me and gave my shoulder a small squeeze. The intimacy of it made me warm all over.

"Jake and Leah," she replied, rolling her eyes. "They were both drunk as hell, and Jake lost their cab money trying to hustle pool games. He can't play for shit, but apparently, he was fucked up enough to think he was a pro. So she called and asked if I would drive them home."

"Sounds like fun," I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes. Jake was a good guy, but a total idiot when drunk. Once, he tried to claim he was a champion hurdler and tried to jump over a lawn chair. His foot caught the top of the chair, and he face-planted into the beach. It was actually pretty hilarious.

"Yeah, well, it wasn't so fun trying to drag his ass up the stairs to their apartment. Leah and I about passed out before we got to the top. He owes me _big _for this one."

"You always say that," I pointed out.

"It's true this time. Anyway, I'm just going to grab something to drink and leave you two to finish what you started. All I ask is that you take it into your room. This couch cost a small fortune," she teased, getting up, and heading to the kitchen.

Rose grabbed a can of soda from the refrigerator, and headed back to her room. "Good night, guys. Nice to see you again, Edward," she said before opening her door.

"'Night, Rose," Edward and I said almost in unison.

"Well, that was exciting," Edward teased.

I smiled, and swung my leg over him, straddling his lap. "You're damn right it was," I replied, leaning in to kiss him again.

He kissed me back then pulled away. "Maybe we should take this back to your bedroom?" he asked.

"Okay," I replied with a squeal, as he picked me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist as he carried to me to my room.

I fumbled for the light switch as Edward kicked the door shut. He started to lose his balance and dropped me, on my back, onto my bed. I landed with a grunt, but Edward wouldn't be deterred now that we were tucked safely in my room. He yanked his shirt off while I sat up on my knees, trying to reach my zipper. He smiled and motioned for me to turn around.

I felt his hands caress my shoulders, then lower my zipper. He pushed the dress off my shoulders again, and placed soft kisses across my shoulder blades. His soft lips on my skin felt amazing, and I felt my heart rate pick up.

He slid his hands around to feel my breasts. I sighed at the feeling of his slightly callused fingertips on my sensitive flesh. I laid my head on his shoulder as he kneaded my breasts and leaned down to kiss me. I rolled my head to the right and saw us in the mirror. The sight was beyond erotic, and I decided I had too many clothes on. I pulled away from Edward and turned around, setting my feet on the floor. I lowered my dress, hooking my thumbs on the sides of my underwear, and slid both garments down my legs slowly.

The lustful look on Edward's face was almost animalistic as he made quick work of shedding his jeans. I stood naked in front of him but couldn't find it in myself to feel self-conscious. I was impressed with the bulge I saw in his boxer briefs and licked my lips in anticipation.

"Fuck, Bella, you're beyond beautiful," Edward hissed, as he nudged me back down onto the bed, his body hovering over mine. The feel of him pressed into me from my chest to my toes felt amazing. I could smell his cologne and his natural scent. I wanted to bottle the smell.

He kissed my lips, my cheek, my collar bone, and worked his way down to my chest.

"Perfect," I heard him murmur before I felt the slick warmth of his mouth over my left nipple. The sensation sent a ripple of pleasure through me, and I couldn't stop my hips from bucking into him. Edward groaned from the contact and moved to pay my right side some attention.

I couldn't stand it anymore. I _had _to have Edward inside me.

"Edward, God, I _need_ you. Now…" I groaned.

He took his mouth away from my skin, and I almost whimpered at the loss of contact. He stood up, smirked, and lowered his boxer briefs. The size of the erection that sprung forth was impressive; I had no doubt I'd be screaming in ecstasy soon.

He leaned over me again and rubbed his erection over my sex. I nearly came right then from the feel of his warm length over me.

"Condom?" he whispered in my ear.

My heart stopped. "Fuck, fuck, FUCK!" I whisper-yelled. "No…you?"

Edward sighed in defeat. "No. I can't believe it never crossed my mind."

I felt Edward twitch against me, and for a minute, I thought about throwing my "no condom, no nookie" rule out the window. But as soon as the thought entered my mind, it left. No way was I ready to deal with the consequences of going bareback.

Then I had an idea! "Edward….Rose!" I said excitedly.

"What about her?" he asked, confused.

"She might have one," I answered, pushing him off me. I grabbed my robe off the back of the door and sprinted to her bedroom door.

"Rose, you still awake?" I asked, while knocking like a woodpecker on her door.

"What?" she yelled from behind her door.

"Open up! I need you for a minute!" I shouted back at her. I jiggled the knob. It was locked. _Dammit!_

A moment later, Rose opened the door a little, peeking around it. "What is it, Bella? I'm sure you don't need tips from me, or do you?" she asked playfully.

"Har har," I deadpanned. "Actually, do you have a condom?"

"What?" she asked, surprised, and laughed.

"Laugh it up, Chuckles, but I need a fucking rubber, or I'm gonna blow my shit right here on the rug," I warned.

"Eww, Bella. No need to be graphic. Hang on," she said, disappearing into her room and returning with a strip of condoms.

"Here, keep them," she said, shoving them into my hand with a smirk on her face.

"Thanks!" I said, kissing her cheek and running back to my room.

"We have rubbers!" I said triumphantly, dangling the condoms in Edward's face.

Edward just shook his head at me, grabbed me by the waist, and swung me back onto the bed.

"Remind me to thank Rose later," he said, tearing a square from the strip.

He opened the foil packet while I pulled my robe off and threw it to the floor. I watched with rapt attention as he rolled the latex over his length.

"Now, where were we?" he asked teasingly.

"About here," I responded, grabbing his arms, and pulling him on top of me again.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Oh, yeah," I answered with a smile.

He got up to stand at the edge of my bed and pulled my legs until he was lined up with me. He leaned down over me, his weight resting on his left arm, his right hand guiding himself into me.

I dug my heels into the bed and pushed against him. I moaned when I felt him completely inside of me.

I lost all track of time after that. All I could hear was our soft moans, the slap of skin, and the slight creak of bedsprings as he thrust into me. All I could feel was his mouth on me, his movements in and out of me, and the rapid beat of my heart.

It was slow and sweet at first, then fast and frantic. I climaxed with his name on my lips, and he did the same. Making love with Edward wasn't as good as I had imagined…it was _better_.

* * *

_So...like it? They FINALLY got together, after much cockblocking. YAY! I'll try to update this PDQ, so we'll see how it goes. _

_I haven't done story recs in a while, but here some that OWN me right now:_

**_Paradox _**_by **spacey25 **(at Twilighted) - New story, only 6 chapters in, but a very well-written story. Bella's like a vampire Batman helping clean up Chicago's streets. Edward's a Chicago cop. It's really got my attention right now._

**_Confidential _**_by **wandb **(here and on Twilighted) - Bella moves to Napa Valley to start her own restaurant. Edward's family owns a Napa winery. He has a revolving door of super-model type girlfriends, but can Bella maybe be the one to change him? **Side note: ALL of wandb's stories are well thought out, and not just a "they meet, freakishly fall in love, and fuck like monkeys every chapter" kind of story. Her character's are very well developed, and she gives great visuals with her writing. I want to visit Napa now, because of her!**_

_Those are my recs for now._

_Please let me know what you think! I know you're out there, lurkers! LOL_

_Until next time..._


	15. Outtake 2In Bella's Shadow  Bree's View

This was my contribution to Fandom Fights Mental Illness. This is how Bree sees things, clear up to right before she gets arrested. I hope you enjoy seeing Bree's side of the situation!

Thanks to casket4mytears for beta'ing this, and AGoodWitch for setting up the fundraiser! Follow FandomFightsMI on Twitter!

I own nothing, SM does.

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Bree POV

I used to have it all. At one time, I was the Queen Bee of Delphi Middle School. I was popular, on the cheerleading squad, and had more friends than I could count. My social calendar was full, and I couldn't be happier. Not even my emo half-sister, Bella, could bring me down.

Bella was the Daria to my Quin. She was still mourning the loss of grunge rock and always dressed in jeans, concert tees and flannel. Personally, I think she harbored lady-wood for Angela on _My So-Called Life_, though she insisted Jordan Catalano was "a babe." Whatever. Even though she was a brainiac with few friends, when push came to shove, Bella _always _had my back. Even when the shit totally, and completely, hit the fan. I was thirteen, and just starting the seventh grade, when it all started.

Growing up in Delphi, it was hard not to be noticed. It was a small town, and my parents were active in the school. My mom, Renee, was a second grade teacher; my dad, Phil, was a coach of several sports. Both were well-liked, and well-respected in the community. That is, until Dad flipped his shit.

For several months, my parents were fighting. This worried me a little, as they usually didn't fight, but I really didn't care. As long as it didn't interfere with my plans, it was all good to me. Adults argue, shit happens. It all came to a head October, 2007. What Dad did was not only the biggest shock our small community had had in years, but it also disgraced my family. News spread around our tiny town fast, and I fell from social grace quickly.

The Stepford moms of Carroll County ostracized my mother, and their kids snubbed Bella and me as well. Bella came out slightly less scathed than I did. She really only had two close friends – Emmett and Angela – and their parents were cool enough to know that just because Dad was a freak, it didn't mean she was, too. I wish _my _friends' parents were that understanding.

My fall from grace started with me not making the cheerleading squad in seventh grade, after being captain of the sixth grade squad. Then, my friends started avoiding me in the hallway, and wouldn't answer my calls or texts. After that was the whispering and pointing. It all ended up with notes on my locker, and me sitting alone at lunch every day. That's when I started hanging out with Riley more often.

Riley Biers and his older brother, James, were black sheep in our community. Their father had gone to prison when they were little for killing his drug dealer, and their mother worked two jobs to keep the family afloat and wasn't around much. James was a bad egg. He had a short fuse, raging temper, and was just generally an asshole. He had done a few months in county lock-up for petty crimes, mainly misdemeanors, but that was enough for people to count him out quickly. What they didn't know was that with women, James was patient and never violent. He treated his girlfriend, Victoria, like a queen. There were also rumors that he was a drug dealer. Riley was the opposite of his brother, though. He was soft-spoken, polite, and kind. His grades were decent in school, he never got into fights unless provoked, and had a huge crush on me. Riley was three years older than me, already sixteen, and had just got a car recently. It was a present from James, and was his baby.

I first met Riley in detention, near the beginning of my seventh grade year. Our principal decided to have us join the high school kids that were in detention to clean the student parking lot. How fun. I was trying to tie the top of my trash bag filled with soda cans, empty chip bags, and cigarette butts, when he first talked to me.

"Shit!" I yelled as the bottom of the bag ripped out. I sighed in disgust, and pulled another bag off the roll to clean the mess I made.

"Need some help?" I heard a male voice ask. I looked up, and into the bluest eyes I'd ever seen.

"Uh…sure. Thanks," I replied, trying hard not to swallow my tongue. For the first time in my short life, butterflies erupted in my stomach at the sight of this totally hot guy.

He bent down and began putting the trash in my bag. "I'm Riley," he said.

"I'm Bree," I told him, just standing there holding the bag like an idiot.

"I know. You're Coach Phil's daughter, right?" he asked.

I blushed. He knew who I was! Then again, everyone knew my dad, and by default, knew who I was.

"Yeah, Phil's my dad," I lamely answered. I was internally smacking myself in the face. I was Bree Dwyer, dammit, the former Queen of Delphi Middle School. I didn't do the shy, unsure thing. That was Bella's department.

"Thanks for helping me," I told him. "Isn't there some sort of law against this or something?"

Riley laughed. The sound made my heart soar. "I guess when you're a juvenile delinquent, they can do with you what they please," he joked. "What are you in for, anyway? You don't seem like the detention type."

I looked down at my Calvin Klein jeans and L.E.I. top. No, I _didn't _look like the detention type. Detention kids were the slackers and vile kids. I certainly wasn't one of _them_.

"My bitch English teacher caught me texting in class. Apparently, she thinks conjugating verbs is more important than my plans for Friday night. Whatever," I huffed. "What are you in for?"

Riley stood, and put the last of the spilled trash in my bag. He looked me up and down, and the heat of his gaze made me almost faint. "I got caught skipping class, again," he told me, smirking.

"Oh, so you're the bad boy, huh? The whole 'rebel without a cause' and all that?" I joked.

"Something like that," he answered with a shrug.

Riley stayed by my side the rest of detention. He would have me hold the trash bag, while he actually touched the nasty trash. Sure, they gave us gloves, but it was still disgusting. We talked about school, our friends, and a little about our family. I learned that James used to play baseball when he was younger, and my dad was his coach. Riley looked up to his big brother, and played baseball for a while, too. But when James quit playing, Riley lost his drive, and soon followed his brother. He also told me that his mom worked a lot, so it was usually just him and James at home. That kind of made me sad. My parents worked hard, but one of them was usually home.

Four-thirty finally came, and it was time to leave detention hell. I hauled ass back down to the middle school to scour my hands and get my things from my locker. I went outside and waited for Bella to pick me up.

At four-forty-five, she still wasn't there.

By five o'clock I was furious. I sent Bella an angry text:

_B- _

_Where the fuck RU? Come get me from detention! _

_BB- _

"Fuck!" I yelled in anger, and slammed my phone shut.

At five-oh-five, Riley pulled up.

"Well, hello, Princess. It seems you've lost your chariot," Riley joked through the open passenger window.

"My fucking sister was supposed to pick me up, but she isn't here – obviously – and she isn't answering her phone. I hate to ask, but can you take me home? Please?" I asked in desperation.

Riley smiled. "Sure, Princess. Hop in," he said, reaching across the seat, and unlocking the passenger door.

"Thanks," I said, sitting down and buckling my seatbelt. "Why do you keep calling me Princess?"

"Are you not the Princess of DMS?" he asked, pulling away from the school and squealing his tires. _Sexy! _

"Hell no! I'm the _queen_," I insisted.

"Right. My mistake. So sorry, your highness," he joked.

That was my first of many rides in Riley's car.

~*OooO*~

It started out innocently enough. Sorta.

Riley offered to pick me up from school, but I knew Bella would rat me out, so I lied and said I joined an afterschool club. Since I was the captain of the cheerleading squad last school year, they didn't ask questions. Riley would pick me up, we'd cruise around for a while, and then he'd take me home. He showed me all kinds of cool places that I didn't even know existed. There was this pretty spot along Deer Creek where the water was low and rushed over the rocks. It was like mini-rapids, but the water was usually low enough that you could step on the stones. Then there was my favorite spot – the train bridge. Riley knew the schedule for the corn and grain trains, so he knew when we could venture onto the bridge and not be in danger. The creek bed below was at least one hundred feet down, and standing up that high was a total rush. I loved it.

There was one downside to Riley, though. He smoked pot – a lot. He called our cruises "smoke" cruises, and I was always paranoid that I'd go home reeking like it. Thankfully, Bella and I didn't share a room, so I could run in there and dump my clothes really quick. I tried not to be a prude about it, but I still worried that he'd get caught. He always told me not to worry, but I still did. The nice part about it was that he never pressured me to smoke with him. In health class, they always tried to make it sound like your friends would kick your ass if you didn't join in, but Riley wasn't like that. He'd just shrug his shoulders and take another hit from his wizard-shaped bowl.

The more the rumors swirled around about my dad, the more people treated me like crap. The more people treated me like crap, the more I just wanted to disappear. I was tired of the whispers, and wished I had a release from pain and embarrassment.

It was December, 2007, and it was the first time I got high with Riley.

~*OooO*~

After New Year's, getting ripped with Riley was an almost daily thing. Now, I actively participated in the "smoke cruises." Victoria and I became closer, too. She took me shopping for new clothes one day in January, because she said she felt like she was hanging out with Barbie. The irony of shopping with Victoria was that her fashion style was very similar to Bella's.

One store we went to was called New Age Spirit. You walked in, and the place reeked of patchouli. The walls were lined with tie-dyed sheets, blankets, and wall murals of Bob Marley. There was hemp jewelry, eco-friendly shopping bags, and reggae music playing throughout the store. There was a mellow vibe about the place, and I loved it instantly. Vicky – that's what she told me to call her – bought me some t-shirts, and something she called a "drug rug" that day. The "drug rug" was nothing more than a hooded sweatshirt that was hand-woven from some sort of stiff, scratchy material instead of cotton. It was super warm, though. I wore the clothes home that day, and she finally dubbed me one of the group.

~*OooO*~

I don't really remember the exact day I decided to start distancing myself from Bella. It just happened gradually, I guess. Truth was, I was jealous of her. Her father was a damn hero, a police chief. My dad was the laughing stock of the whole community. I know that what Dad did saddened and embarrassed her; they were close, after all. But at the end of the day, it was _my _dad alone, and she could still be proud of hers. I was envious, angry, and I just didn't have it in me to stay as close to her as we used to be. I knew that my actions were probably hurting her – Bella lived to take care of me. I knew she felt like it was her job, as my big sister, to try to protect me from the world. But this time, she just couldn't. When she said she was accepted to college in California that was the last nail in the coffin of our close-knit relationship.

I gradually stopped calling her as often, ignoring her texts, or just responding in short answers. My Mom told me several times how sad Bella sounded that I was distancing myself from her, but I really didn't care anymore. All I cared about was Riley and getting stoned. Those were the two things that made me happy, and just couldn't bring myself to care about Bella. Harsh, I know, but that's how I felt.

~*OooO*~

After Mom kicked Dad out, which, I'd like to mention was close to my birthday, I about lost it. It was bad enough I was losing my dad in spirit, now I he was physically leaving as well. I called Riley the night they told me he was moving, and demanded he come pick me up. I cried while he held me, and then smoked a mountain of pot. When I still didn't feel numb enough, Vicky offered me Xanax. My God, I loved her for that. She knew a girl that sold her medication off, and put me in touch with her.

That was the beginning of my love affair with Xannies.

~*OooO*~

Bella came out to visit for my birthday, and brought her roommate, Rose, with her. Once again, everything was all about _Bella_. Hell, it was all _her _stupid friends at my birthday party, except for Riley, James, and Vicky.

I wasn't expecting James to come, really. Our interactions were usually limited to business transactions. So when he showed up, I was surprised. To make it even better, he came baring gifts – a sandwich bag full of fresh green and about ten Xannies. I almost cried when he gave them to me and whispered "happy birthday," before giving me a small hug, and sitting down next to Vick. God bless you, James.

~*OooO*~

Life had been okay for me the last several months. Riley and I were doing great, and were even having sex. We had to keep it quiet, though, because I was only thirteen when we first were together, and he was sixteen. I didn't need my Mom freaking out and pressing charges, or something like that. The feeling of him sliding into me was always amazing, and I never felt more loved and cherished than I did when I was in his arms.

On top of the wonderful relationship I had with Riley, school seemed to be going easier, too. Or maybe I just didn't give a fuck what people said about me anymore. Either way, I went to school, put in my time, kept my grades high enough so that I wouldn't get in trouble, and waited for when I could see Riley again.

There was only one downer – my mom.

I swear that woman was always out to ruin my fun. "Be home by ten," she would say before I hopped into Riley's car. My answer was always the same - "yes, mom" - then I would come home whenever I felt like. Boy, she sure was pissed when she would catch me sneaking back into the house around one in the morning. Sometimes it was later. Sometimes I actually came home on time, too. Honestly, I didn't see what all the fuss over time was about, it was _summer vacation_! I was going to do what I wanted to do, and I knew she didn't have it in her to stop me. Besides, if she knew what I was actually doing when I was out, she'd shit herself for sure.

"_Sorry I'm home late, Mom. Riley and I fucked like rabbits then got so stoned, I thought I saw God. Sorry I'm two hours late." _Yeah, that would go over like a lead balloon. No, it was better to leave mom in the dark and just do my thing.

It was better for everyone that way.

~*OooO*~

After my birthday, came the start of eighth grade. By now, the gossiping bitches had let up off of me a little, and moved on to talking about the high school student that got caught screwing the school nurse. I couldn't care less who was screwing who, and kept my head down. The less they bugged me, the less crappy I felt. If I was honest with myself, it still hurt me that I'd sunk so low on the food chain.

Riley was in high school, James and Victoria were out of school already, so I was alone in middle school hell. No one talked to me, except teachers who called on me in class. No one sat with me a lunch, except the pregnant girl, and she only did it because she was a social outcast, too. We didn't talk much, though. Just random pleasantries when we first sat down.

On the outside, it looked like I didn't give a shit. On the inside, it killed me. I'd look longingly at the table I used to sit at filled with cheerleaders and jocks, and almost cry. But I wouldn't allow it. Delphi would never see me cry again. My tears were reserved for when I was alone or with Riley. He was the only one I would let see me cry.

I floated through the days in a drug-induced fog, minded my P's and Q's, and just…survived.

My plan to just survive was working out wonderfully – until September.

Riley and I had just sat up at St. Joe's cemetery, getting blazed among the tombstones, for the last two hours. I smoked a big ass bowl, popped three Xannies, and was feeling no pain. Riley always took the county roads to take me home because the cops rarely patrolled them, so we could drive fast and not get caught. Unfortunately for us, Sheriff Do-Right must have been on duty tonight, because right before we rounded the corner at Gish's Road, we saw berries and cherries in the rear view.

We were stoned, we had a big ass bag of pot under the seat, and I had a pocket full of Xannies. We both were fucked, and we knew it…

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_Thanks so much for taking the time to read! Please review! _

_I changed my Twitter name. You can now reach me ginger1983_ff or on gchat - ginger1983ff_

_Until next time..._


	16. Chapter 14  Thanksgiving

**Hi everyone! Remember me? LOL**

**Thanks for being so patient with this story. I appreciate it more than you know! Things are going to start moving a lot faster within the story now, so hang on to your hats! **

**I want to take a second to thank my betas from PTB – **_**Marlena516 (or marly580)**_** and **_**SqueakyZorro.**_** This chapter is 23 pages, no small task for a beta, and they looked it over without killing me for the length. They even left me some comments that made me giggle! Thanks, ladies, I love ya lots!**

**Also, thanks to the betas at **_**Emergency Beta**_**. Without their awesome bootcamps, this might not have been done as quickly (and I use the term loosely) as it was. Their camps are amazing. If you write, I highly suggest doing a bootcamp. They input is fantastic!**

**One last indulgance... I've written a one shot for the Hot Summer Nights Contest. It's anonymous, so I can't tell you which one is mine. Voting starts August 16 (they're accepting submissions until the 15****th****!), so vote, vote, vote! http:/ fanfiction(dot)net/~HotSummerNights**

**I don't own anything Twilight. In my head, though, my Edward looks like the hot guy across the street ;)**

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_**BPOV**_

I awoke the next morning to the feel of Edward pushing his erection in my back. I really hated when guys did that. I mean, what was the point?

"Good morning," Edward whispered softly in my ear.

"Good morning. Now stop doing that, please," I requested politely.

"What? You don't like it when I do this...?" he asked, grinding into me once again.

"No, I don't," I told him. He was kind of getting on my nerves. "Would you like to be woken up to someone pressing something very hard into your tailbone? I bet not."

"Way to kill the mood, Bella," Edward complained with a sigh, rolling away from me.

"It's just rude, is all. There's really nothing sexy about it, and I wish I knew why guys feel the need to wake women up like that. It's actually pretty annoying," I told him, throwing the covers off and getting out of bed.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"To take a shower. _Someone _distracted me last night, and I smell like stale cigarettes and beer," I told him with a smile, grabbing the robe off the back of my bedroom door. "I smell coffee, so Rose is probably up. Might want to get dressed."

With that, I shut the bathroom door and began my morning routine.

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_**EPOV**_

To say that Bella's attitude surprised me this morning would be an understatement. I thought that I was being sweet and seductive. Apparently, I was wrong.

I scrubbed my hands over my face and looked around for my discarded boxer briefs. Not being able to find them, I rummaged through my bag until I found a pair of black sweatpants and a tee shirt.

I opened Bella's bedroom door to find Rose sitting at the kitchen bar reading something on her laptop.

"Morning, Rose," I murmured as I made my way to the coffee pot.

"Morning, Edward. Wow, is it just me, or is this deja vu?" she asked with a small laugh.

I smiled and shook my head. Yeah, this felt just like the last time I was here. I filled my mug and went to sit next to her.

"So, how was your evening?" she asked with a playful smirk.

"My evening was lovely, thanks for that. I can't believe, of all things, I forgot to bring condoms," I said, disgusted with my lack of planning. In my haste to get to Bella, stopping for rubbers was the last thing on my mind.

"It's no problem. It's not like I've needed them lately," she said sadly.

"Aww, Rose. Someday, you'll find a nice boy who wants you for you," I teased. She laughed and nudged my arm with hers.

"Very funny. Actually, I've been talking with Bella's friend, Emmett. You remember him, right?"

"I do. He seems like a decent guy," I told her.

"He is. I just wish there wasn't so much distance between us," she said, a gloomy look falling across her face.

"Is Bella going home for Thanksgiving?" I asked.

"Yeah."

"Are you going with her?"

"I don't know yet. There's a lot of shit going on in her family right now. I don't know if she would want me tagging along for that."

"I'm sure she wouldn't mind," I assured her, though I was slightly upset that Bella hadn't told me more about the problems with her family. I thought we were closer than that.

"I don't know. I might ask. Anyway, how long are you here this time?" Rose asked.

"Until Wednesday."

"Cool! Maybe we can show you around properly this time. Maybe take a trip to Hollywood or something," she suggested.

"That sounds fun, actually."

"Bella was heartbroken the first time I took her over there. It wasn't nearly as glamorous as she had expected it to be. Don't cry if it doesn't live up to your expectations," she teased.

"I'm sure I'll manage," I said with a smile.

Just then, Bella emerged from her room with a towel piled on her head and seemingly wearing nothing but her robe.

"Good morning, sunshine," Rose said loudly.

Bella rolled her eyes and flipped Rose off.

"Isn't she just precious in the morning?" Rose asked playfully.

"That she is," I mumbled into my coffee.

"What? Was she mean to you this morning?" Rose asked, sounding like she was about to scold Bella.

I decided to play along.

"Oh, maybe just a little bit," I said, glancing at Bella.

Bella had an incredulous look on her face. "I was not!" she protested.

"Was, too," I retorted, then turned to Rosalie.

"I tried to wake her up, and she yelled at me," I said, pouting just a little.

Bella huffed. Rosalie tried to hide her smile behind her mug of coffee.

"Rose, do you like being woken up with an erection grinding into your tailbone?" Bella asked, propping her left arm on her hip as she blew on her coffee to cool it.

"I'd just like to wake up to an erection, rather than an empty bed," Rose said bluntly, making me choke on a mouthful of coffee.

"Look, I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings, Edward. I _did _try to warn you that I'm not a morning person." she said, coming around the bar to give me a kiss on my temple. Her breath smelled like mint toothpaste and coffee. I liked it.

"You're forgiven. And you're right, you did try to warn me," I said, wrapping her in a sideways hug.

Bella sat down on the stool beside me and sipped her coffee. A comfortable silence hung between the two of us, only to be punctuated occasionally by Rose typing at her laptop.

After a few minutes, I decided to ask Bella about her Thanksgiving plans.

I cleared my throat. "So, Bella, what are your plans for Thanksgiving? It's only a few weeks away, you know," I said, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Going home, I guess," she answered vaguely.

"To your mom's or dad's?" I prodded.

"Mom's," she answered simply.

I tried to hold back the frustrated sigh that desperately wanted to escape. She was being very evasive this morning. I chalked it up to her being grumpy in the mornings and continued.

"Well, would you like to join my family for Thanksgiving dinner?" I asked.

Bella sighed. "I'd really like to, but my mom is pretty much handicapped in the kitchen. I'll have to prepare the dinner myself. I doubt Bree will be of any assistance."

"We usually have Thanksgiving dinner on Friday, anyway. My dad volunteers to be at the hospital for the holiday," I told her.

"No Black Friday shopping for the Cullens?" she teased lightly. She knew how Alice loved to shop.

"No, Mom would rather it be a family day. We all pitch in to get dinner ready."

"Sounds lovely," Bella said wistfully.

"You can come help, if you like," I offered.

"Really? Your parents wouldn't mind?" she asked, a hopeful smile on her face.

"They've been dying to meet you. I'm sure they'd love to trap you in the kitchen and ask a million embarrassing questions," I answered with a laugh.

Bella's face paled. "What kind of questions?"

I knew where she was going with this. She was worried what they would think about her stepdad.

"You don't have to worry about telling them about Phil just yet. It's none of their business, but truthfully, they won't care," I tried to assure her.

A little color returned to her face, and she let out a small sigh.

"You should bring Rose, too. I'm sure Jasper would like to spend the holiday with his sister," I continued, giving a sideways glace to Rosalie.

"Oh, God, why didn't I think of that? I'm so sorry, Rose!" Bella said, a blush coloring her cheeks.

"Honestly, I'm surprised Jazz didn't ask me himself. But I was thinking that maybe I could tag along and spend some time with Emmett," Rose said.

"That'd be wonderful, Rose!" Bella said enthusiastically, all traces of her previous nervousness gone.

"It's set, then. I'll come down and spend Thanksgiving Day with you, and you can come to Chicago on Friday," I said, feeling happy at the idea that Bella would be with us for the holiday.

Bella paled a bit again. "You want to spend Thanksgiving with _my _family?" she asked.

"Of course I do. That is, if you want me to."

"Edward...I don't know. I mean, Bree's..." she trailed off.

"Bella, how many times do i have to tell you that none of that bothers me?" I interrupted. "I want all of you - the good, the bad, and the ugly."

"Alright," she said, not sounding sure of herself at all.

A warm feeling settled into the pit of my stomach. We would be spending the holiday together.

My time with Bella in Santa Monica seemed to go too fast. Before I knew it, I was on the plane back home. We still chatted every night, either by Skype, Facebook, or on the phone, but nothing compared to actually having her in my arms.

Bella's finals had been harder for her than she thought they would be, and she was stressed, and even a bit bitchy, the week leading up to Thanksgiving. I would smile to myself and let her rant on and on, never once complaining, because she was letting me in. It almost felt like she was right there with me. Almost.

I had talked to my parents and let them know that Rosalie would be spending the holiday with us as well. My mom was thrilled. She loved entertaining.

The plans were all set, the food bought in preparation for the meal. All I needed now was Bella.

* * *

_**BPOV**_

The plane touched down in Indy, and I quickly grabbed my bags from the overhead compartment. Rose had been kind enough to pitch in the extra for first class again, so we were among the first passengers off the plane.

We entered the baggage claim area, and Rose seemed distracted, looking around like she was searching for someone.

I found both of our bags, with little help from her, and was about to bitch about it when I heard her scream. I turned around to see what she was excited about, and I though I shouldn't have been, Iwas surprised when Emmett appeared.

Rose took off running and jumped into Em's arms. They shared a very passionate kiss before he set her back down on her feet again. I knew that they had been talking since we left here in August, but I didn't know it was that serious. It made me feel bad that I hadn't kept up on Rose's life, always bitching to her about my own instead.

Emmett took our luggage from me and we headed out to his Explorer.

"How've you guys been?" he asked as he pulled out of the parking garage.

"Good," we answered in unison, and gave a little laugh.

"I talked to Renee before I got here," Emmett started. "Bree's not doing so hot."

I sighed. I knew Bree had been quite the pain in the ass for mom since her arrest, and even though they had originally scheduled a court date for last week, it got pushed back due to court congestion.

"How so?" I asked, not sure if I wanted the answer.

"Riley got out last week. Did you know that?"

"Yeah, Mom mentioned it."

"Well, apparently, Bree's been sneaking out of the house to go see him," Emmett told me.

"That doesn't surprise me. She was doing that before anyway," I told him.

"Well, from what your Mom said, she's been coming back later and later. She's also been skipping school more, too," he said.

I inhaled deeply and let out a long sigh. "I still don't understand – it doesn't seem like she's doing anything different," I told him, irritated at Bree, but still not getting where he was going with this.

"Phil called yesterday," he said cryptically.

"And...?"

"And Bree flipped the fuck out. He hasn't made much move to contact her since he moved out, and he didn't even call or send a card for anything for her birthday."

"I can imagine. It's rather justified, if you ask me," I told him, defending my little sister.

"I'm not saying it isn't. However, she started tearing up your house. First, she started throwing things around her room and pulling down shelves. When Renee told her to stop, Bree pushed past her and pretty much destroyed everything of Phil's that was left in the house. Even their wedding picture," he told me sadly.

Rose and I both gasped. I couldn't imagine how frightened my mom must have been to see Bree like that. And to have her wedding picture destroyed must have devastated her.

"How's Mom doing?" I asked quietly.

"She's shaken, and she has no clue what to do with Bree now," Emmett answered sadly.

Rose turned around from the front seat to face me. "Do you think you can get through to her?" she asked.

"I don't know, but I'm sure as hell going to try."

When we got to my house, Emmett helped Rosalie and I unload our things. Rose went home with Em, saying that I probably needed time alone with my family, and that she would be back later.

Really, I think she and Emmett just needed to be alone.

After they left, I sat on the bed in my childhood bedroom and looked around, trying to find answers to my problems that I knew weren't to be found on the walls. With a deep sigh, I got up and looked for something to do.

Mom had left me a voicemail saying she would be out for a little bit to grocery shop for tomorrow. I think she needed some time to gather her thoughts. I amused myself by flipping through the channels. I found Cartoon Network and left it there, falling asleep sometime after the Power Puff Girls came on.

The next time I opened my eyes, the sun was a little lower in the sky and the TV channel had been changed. Mom had come home and was reading a book on the opposite couch.

"Hey, Mom, why didn't you wake me up?" I asked, stretching.

"You've had a long day, and I figured you could use the nap," she said with a weak smile from behind her book.

"Should I even ask where Bree is?"

Mom sighed loudly. "Out with Riley, I guess," she answered, the worry lines deeper on her face than I ever remembered seeing them.

I looked at her closely and she looked so tired. She seemed like she had aged ten years in the three months since I had last seen her. Anger welled up inside me; I couldn't believe Bree was putting her through such hell. I vowed right then and there to do something about it.

"Where's Rose?" Mom asked, laying her book down on the couch.

It took me a moment to register that she was talking to me; thoughts of taking my sister out back and beating the shit out of her were running rampant through my mind.

"Oh, Rose is at Emmett's right now. She'll be back later," I told her.

"I didn't realize they knew each other that well."

"Me, either. I've been kind of self-centered with her, I think. But I guess they've been getting closer. I'm happy for them. They fit well together," I told her.

"Yes, Emmett's a good kid. Listen, I'm hungry. How about we order some pizza?" Mom suggested.

"Pizza King pizza?" I asked hopefully.

"Of course," Mom said with a smile, picking up her cell phone and ordering a large mushroom pizza with extra cheese – our favorite.

Mom and I drove up to the Pizza King to wait for our food since they didn't deliver. We talked about school, California, and my job, and Mom even said she'd like to come visit me sometime. She said she hadn't been anywhere north of San Diego, and even then, she hadn't been there since the late seventies. I was surprised that she wanted to come out; she always acted like she hated me living there.

Fifteen minutes later our pizza was done and we were headed home. It didn't escape my notice that Mom sighed sadly when she realized Bree still wasn't home.

We sat the food down on the kitchen counter and ate at the small breakfast nook in silence for a few minutes. I had a lot on my mind, and now was as any good a time as any to bring up the Bree situation.

"So..uh…Emmett said that Bree freaked out on you yesterday," I started.

Mom sighed again, her shoulders slumping in sadness. "Yeah, she did. Phil called and wanted to talk to her. I told him it probably wasn't a good idea, but he insisted. I handed the phone to Bree and after about a minute or two, she started shouting. She threw my phone on the couch, locked herself in her room, and the next thing I knew, she was throwing things and yelling. I kept pounding on the door and screaming for her to let me in, but she wouldn't. When she finally did come out, she took to the rest of the house,' she said, tears flowing from her eyes. She sniffled, and then continued.

"She found every last thing of her father's and destroyed it. Even our wedding picture," she said, openly sobbing.

Again, anger welled up in me over my sister's selfish actions. I stood up and pulled my mom into my arms, allowing her to cry on my shoulder.

"I just don't know what to do anymore, Bella. She won't listen to me, she skips school, and I know she's on drugs. What did I do wrong?" she cried, her voice muffled by my shoulder.

I rubbed her back and tried to soothe her like she used to do for me when I was little and had skinned my knee.

She sat up and wiped the tears from her eyes. She placed both hands on my cheeks and looked me dead in the eyes, an action that made me uncomfortable. I didn't like eye contact.

"Bella, baby, I'm so sorry I tried to blame you for all of this. I know none if it was your fault. I was just so hurt that you were moving so far away. I hate to admit it, but you've always been my rock. I know that you never moved with Charlie because of me, and I'm sorry I put that much of a burden on a small child. I hope someday you can forgive me," she said, silent tears running down her cheeks again.

My heart broke for my mother in that instant. She was admitting that none of this was my fault – finally. And while I knew that all along, a part of me still wondered if I could have been more help if I would have stayed closer to go to school.

"I'm sorry for not being here when you needed me, Mom," I admitted, tears now flowing from my eyes as well.

"No," she said forcefully, removing her hands from my face. "Don't you do that, Bella. I know I probably put that idea in your head, and I'm so sorry, but this isn't on you. Please believe that."

I nodded my head.

Mom gave me a watery smile and pulled me into a hug. I hugged her back tightly. Finally, I was getting my mom back.

After our little break down in the kitchen, we finished our meal, and sat in the living room. Rosalie came back around nine, and Emmett sat and chatted for a while before returning home. Mom went to bed close to eleven, telling me to lock the door because Bree had her own key.

Rosalie and I sat and talked about her and Emmett's relationship for a long time after that. I apologized for being so distant, but Rose wouldn't hear of it. She said I had enough to deal with.

Shortly after midnight, Bree came home.

"Oh, hey Bell," she said, stumbling into the door. She reeked of pot. I was instantly pissed.

"Where have you been?" I asked angrily.

"Out. Hey, is that pizza I smell?" she asked, starting for the kitchen.

"Not good enough," I said, blocking her path.

"What the hell, Bella. Move. I'm hungry," she said, trying to push past me.

"Mom was worried about you," I told her, moving to block her path once more.

"Yeah, well, Mom worries too much," she said, rolling her eyes.

"I think we need to talk," I said, walking toward her, and making her back up a few steps.

"I think you need to move your fat ass so I can get some food," she countered, trying to literally push me out of her way.

That was it. I'd had enough. I grabbed Bree by the arm and dragged her into her room. I literally tossed her onto the bed and locked the door behind us.

"Enough of this shit. Spill it," I demanded, crossing my arms across my chest angrily.

"I don't have to tell you anything," she spat.

"Bullshit, you don't. You've been acting out for far too long, and it's really starting to wear thin," I huffed.

"Who are you, now? Dr. Phil?" she asked, rolling her eyes.

"No, I'm your older sister. I love you, but you haven't been acting like yourself. What's wrong?" I asked, my voice getting softer in an attempt to get her talking.

She sighed loudly and flopped back on the bed. "You wouldn't understand."

"Try me," I said, uncrossing my arms and sitting next to her on the bed.

She waited a minute before she started. "It's not always easy living in your shadow, Bella."

I was taken aback by her comment. I had always felt that, even though she was younger than me, it was _me _living in _her _shadow.

"I don't know what you mean," I told her.

"You're so fucking perfect!" she yelled, getting off the bed and pacing her small bedroom. "You get good grades. You were on the school newspaper and all these different academic clubs. Me? I'm just the stupid little sister. The cheerleader. The social director..."

"What's wrong with being in social clubs versus academic ones?" I asked, confused where she was going with all of this.

"Nothing, I guess. But Mom and Dad always expected more of me. They expected me to be more like you, I guess."

I sighed. "No, Bree, all anyone ever wanted was for you just to be yourself. Nothing more, nothing less. Didn't you ever see how Phil's eyes would light up when he would talk about your latest sports accomplishment? 'Bree just made head cheerleader. Bree is on the volleyball team.' He is so proud of you. He never had that look in his eye when he'd talk about me." I admitted.

"Dad..." she said sarcastically. "That's another thing. _You _still have a dad. All I have is a freak of nature."  
"Phil's not a freak of nature, Bree. He is just...different," I told her, hoping that she really didn't feel that way about her father.

"Bullshit, Bella!" Bree yelled. "My fucking father wants to be a girl. _Your _Dad is a fucking hero!"

"Charlie isn't a hero, Bree. He's just a guy."

"A guy that spends every day of his life helping people, catching bad guys, and making the world a safer place. Hell, they gave him a fucking medal for what he did," she said sadly, joining me on the bed once again.

"No, he got a medal for getting shot, basically. He did what any other officer would have done. And you know what that medal got him? A divorce. Mom got so scared after that, she divorced him and moved halfway across the country. You can think what you like about Phil, but at least you got to see him every day," I said, a lump swelling in my throat. I'd never forgive myself for not spending more time with Charlie when I was younger.

"Yeah, well, maybe I should have spent _less _time with my dad. Maybe then he wouldn't want to be a girl so badly."

"I hope you know that you didn't have anything to do with that, Bree. He has a problem - a proven, medical problem. Gender dysphoria isn't something anyone can help. It's just how he was born," I tried to reason.

"You say it like _I'm _the bad guy," she said, getting defensive again.

"No one's the bad guy here, sis. Could he have made different choices? Yeah, sure, he could have. But if he did, you wouldn't be here right now," I said softly, taking her hand in mine. "No matter what's happened, I'm glad he chose what he did because I got a really great little sister out of it."

I watched as tears silently fell down Bree's cheeks. I hoped I was finally getting through to her.

She sniffed. "Yeah, you're not such an awful big sister, yourself," she joked, giving my hand a small squeeze.

"Now that that's behind us, why have you been giving Mom such a hard time?" I asked softly, hoping to keep her talking.

"I don't know. She just has all these rules, and it's not fair. She didn't have that many rules for you," she said, sounding more like a jealous five-year-old than the fifteen-year-old she really was.

"Well, to be fair, I never got arrested," I said, hoping she would see my logic.

Bree tensed up.

_Shit! I should have kept my mouth shut!_

Instead of her getting pissed again, she actually kept talking.

"You know, Dad didn't once call me after that. Mom called him the night she brought me home, but his phone went to voicemail. I have only talked to him twice since he moved out. He didn't even call on my birthday, so I don't know why I was surprised he didn't talk to me after getting arrested, either," she said, more tears streaming down her face.

Then it hit me. Bree wasn't doing this to make Mom's life hell; she was doing it to get Phil's attention.

I took a deep breath, and I hoped that what I was about to say wouldn't push her farther away.

"Bree, if you wanted your dad's attention, getting stoned, sneaking out, and getting arrested really aren't the ways to do it," I told her softly, but sternly.

She sighed deeply. "Yeah, I know. I just wanted...I don't know what I wanted," she told me sadly.

"Did Riley put you up to all this?" I asked, knowing that she would probably defend that little shit.

"No. It started out that we would just hang out together. And yeah, he'd smoke pot around me, but I really didn't care. I didn't do it at first, Bella, I swear. Then all this shit with Dad happened, and I just wanted a way to just kind of, I don't know, escape or something. So I asked him if I could smoke with him, and then when you moved I wasn't really sure how to deal with that, so I started taking the pills Victoria sells. I guess it all just kind of got out of hand," she admitted.

I was thrown by her admission and her honesty. I hadn't expected her to open up so freely to me. I looked at her, and for the first time in a long time, it seemed a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

"Bree, I didn't know you felt that way about me leaving. You were always so excited for me. I guess I just thought you were okay with it," I told her, feeling guilty that I had been part of the problem after all.

"I was excited for you. I still am. But I guess, after I thought about it, it kind of felt like the end of us. No more late night movies, no more just sitting around doing nothing but listening to that God-awful music you like. I guess I just felt...alone, especially after Phil 'came out' and all my friends left me high and dry," she said, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt.

"Why didn't you tell me that, sis? I would have found a way to transfer back home or something," I said, tears starting to stream down my face, as well.

"That's why," she said cryptically. Noticing the confused look on my face, she continued. "You would have dropped everything to come back; I didn't want you to do that. I wanted you to have your own life and think I could handle myself, that I didn't need you to protect and take care of me anymore."

"Bree, I'm your older sister, it's in my blood to want to take care of you. No matter how old we get, or how far apart we are, I'll always feel that way. I don't want you to ever feel like you're a burden to me. It's been eating me alive the past few months not being able to talk to you as much. Some days, I miss you so much I want to hop a plane and come back here to you. You're such a huge part of me – that will never change," I said, openly sobbing.

Bree looked at me, and a million emotions were crossing her face. She seemed so torn, so upset, and so lost. I felt powerless that I didn't know how to fix it.

I opened my arms and she collapsed into them, sobbing into my chest.

"I've missed you so much. I feel so alone, and only Riley really makes me happy. I just don't know what to do to fix it anymore," she admitted in between sobs.

"You can start by not keeping secrets from me anymore," I told her, rubbing her back as she cried.

"I don't want to keep secrets, but I know that you'll get worried, then you'll throw your life in California away. I don't want you to do that for me."

"First of all, I wouldn't be throwing anything away. And second, just because I'm so far away, it doesn't mean that you still can't open up to me. We can talk it out and figure it out together."

I sat there holding her for a while, allowing her to cry and get everything out.

Eventually, she sat up and wiped her eyes. "Thanks for that. I guess I needed it," she said shyly.

"No problem, sis. Anytime," I said, wiping my eyes as well. "Now, do you want to tell me why you threw such a shitfit yesterday?"

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "I guess my mind regressed a few years. It was quite a temper tantrum, huh?"

"It was. You really scared Mom."

"I should apologize. But yeah, Dad called, and I flipped my shit," she told me.

"What got you so upset? Was it just that it had been so long?" I asked.

"Yeah, that. And, he had the nerve to ask me if I wanted to spend the weekend with him and his _boyfriend_," she said, spitting the word boyfriend out like it tasted awful in her mouth. "He couldn't fucking call on my birthday. He couldn't fucking call after I got arrested, either. But _now _he wants to call and ask if I want to spend a _family _holiday with him and his boyfriend? Fuck that! _My _family is here," she said, anger starting to creep back into her voice.

"I understand completely why you'd be pissed, but do you think that destroying your bedroom, not to mention Mom's wedding picture, was the right way to channel your anger?" I asked, sounding very much like a shrink.

"No, it wasn't. But I was just so angry. Is Mom mad at me?"

"I don't think she's so much angry, as shocked and saddened by your behavior. She can't replace that picture, you know."

Bree sighed again, tears rolled down her cheeks. She pulled her hand through her hair roughly, and opened her mouth to speak, but closed it. I sat and patiently waited for her to continue.

"I don't even know why she keeps that fucking picture," she said quietly, angrily.

"Probably because it's her wedding photo," I said softly, afraid that she would snap again. The tension was rolling off her in waves.

"The whole fucking thing was a lie, though. Her whole marriage was nothing but a pathetic sham," she said through gritted teeth.

The hair on the back of my neck stood up at the amount of anger in her voice. I was really afraid she'd start to flip out like she did earlier. I was now kicking myself for locking us in here.

"Their marriage wasn't a sham, Bree. They honestly did love each other back then," I rationalized.

Bree laughed humorlessly. "Bullshit. Their marriage was nothing more than a cover for _Dad _so that he could hide what he truly was," she said, standing up and pacing the room once again.

"I think if you talked to Phil, you'd see that you were wrong," I said, watching her actions closely.

"The next time I talk to him, it will be at his funeral. And even then, it will only be to say 'good riddance'."

Once again, I was thrown by just how hurt and angry she was. I guess I never really stopped to think just how deeply Phil's lifestyle change had affected her emotional well-being. Maybe Rose and Emmett were right; maybe she _did _need professional help.

"You don't mean that," I said, hoping to God I was right.

"Yes, I do," she said, darting her angry eyes in my direction. "He took everything I ever knew and trusted and turned it upside down. I question every single thing he ever said to me now, because how do I know if he was lying about that, too?"

"He never lied when he said he loved you, Bree."

"How do _I _know that, huh?" she shouted. Her sudden yell startled me. She was really starting to make me nervous.

"He's your father, Bree. That's how you know," I told her calmly.

"He's not my father!" she yelled even louder. I was stunned silent by her outburst. "He isn't even a _he _anymore! 'He' has changed his name! 'He' has boobs now!"

I was literally shaking now by the force of her anger. This was a side of Bree I had never seen before. I completely understood why Mom was so freaked out earlier.

"Bree, you need to calm down. You're starting to scare me," I said with a shaky breath.

Bree took a long, deep breath in an obvious attempt to calm down. Her eyes softened a little.

"I need to take a walk," she said suddenly, unlocking the bedroom door and storming out of it.

I continued to sit on the bed and stare blankly at the empty doorway. I tried to absorb everything that had happened. Bree's issues were a lot bigger than I first anticipated. There was far more hurt and anger in her than I could deal with alone. Her drug use was obviously a way to escape, and that was no good. I had to find a way to talk to Mom and Bree and get them both to agree to get Bree some help.

I had a long four days ahead of me.

The next day, Thanksgiving, was uneventful – thank God. I got up at six to shower and start working on things for dinner. Rose got up around eight and had a couple cups of coffee with me while she waited for Emmett to pick her up.

"So, is Bree staying home today?" she asked.

"I have no clue," I said with a sigh. "I never got a chance to ask her last night before she stormed out of here."

"Are _you _okay? I heard an awful lot of yelling. I almost came in there, but I figured you two needed to work it out," she said, sympathy thick in her voice.

"I'll be okay. Yesterday was a lot to handle. Mom and I had a big talk – she apologized for blaming me for everything, if you can believe that. Then the fight with Bree…I'm thinking maybe you and Em were right – maybe she does need professional help," I said, defeated.

"I think it would help her a lot, at least for a little bit."

"Yeah, maybe," I agreed.

Just then there was a knock at the front door.

"That's probably Emmett," Rose said, standing to answer the door.

She answered the door and let Emmett in. They embraced warmly before he came out to see me in the kitchen.

"Hey, Bells," she said, plopping down on a stool.

"Hey, Em," I said, getting him a cup of coffee. I added part of a packet of hot chocolate mix to it and handed it to him.

"Eww, what did you just put in there?" Rose asked, her nose crinkled.

"Hot chocolate," I said with a shrug.

"Why?"

"Because it's good," Emmett said with a smile.

"Emmett's drunk it that way since we were kids. I don't even remember now what started it," I told her.

"You two are weird," she said, shaking her head.

Em quickly downed his coffee and the pair were on their way.

"Call us if you need anything," Emmett whispered as he gave me a hug.

I nodded and waved goodbye.

Around ten my mom came down from her bedroom. She offered to help me, but I told her she needed to relax.

"So, I heard a bit of commotion last night. Is everything okay?" she asked.

"Yeah. Bree and I had a bit of a…discussion," I told her cryptically.

"I see. Well, since no one had to be taken to the emergency room, I take it that it went well?"

I smiled at her joke. "It went alright. I think I understand some things a bit better now," I told her, wondering if maybe now would be good time to bring up having Bree see a professional.

"I've been thinking about sending her to a psychiatrist," she said, seemingly reading my mind.

"I was about to suggest the same thing," I told her, shocked.

"Funny. I just think this is bigger than what we can handle on our own."

"I agree."

"We'll talk about it later. I want to enjoy as much of your time here as I can. Will Edward be joining us today?"

"Yeah, he should be here around noon," I told her. "Are you sure you don't mind him staying here?"

"Of course not, honey. Just please respect my house while he's here. I have a hard enough time dealing with Bree. I doubt I could handle knowing you're having sex here, too," she said with a small smile.

Her playfulness stunned me, and I dropped the spoon I was using to stir with.

"Oh my God, Mom! Please, do _not _talk about sex!" I pleaded, mortified.

Mom laughed. I blushed.

"I promise – no sex while I'm here."

"Good to know," she said, still laughing.

I shook my head and continued cooking.

Edward called me at a quarter to noon to let me know he was in Delphi.

"Edward should be here in a few minutes. He's in Delphi already," I told my mom.

"That's good. Glad he made it okay. Hey, do you know if Bree's even here?" she asked.

"I don't know, to be honest. I'll go check."

I went to Bree's door and heard music from the other side. I knocked once and was surprised when she answered her door.

"Hey, Bells. I'll be out shortly," she said, looking tired.

"Um..okay. Mom was just wondering if you were here," I told her.

"Obviously, I am. Mission accomplished," she said sarcastically.

"Are you staying home today?"

"Yeah, I figure I owe to Mom, you know?"

I tried to keep the smile off my face, but it didn't work.

"Mom will be really happy about that," I told her.

"I know."

"Oh, and Edward will be here soon, too."

She nodded. "Okay."

An awkward silence hung between us.

"I guess I'm just going to go cook now," I told her.

"Bye," she said, shutting the door in my face.

Edward arrived, Bree came out of her room, and the day went off without a hitch. Mom wanted to watch football, even though she really didn't like it, because it was tradition. Bree quickly changed the channel and commented that some traditions were made to be broken.

We ate peacefully, and while Bree was quiet, she was there. I couldn't have been happier. Mom enjoyed chatting with Edward about growing up in Chicago and grilled him about his family. He answered all her questions good-naturedly, and he even suggested that Esme could come help my mom redecorate when she mentioned wanting to change the house around. Bree just snorted at that, but kept her comments to herself.

All in all, it was a good day, and I was exhausted by the time I went to bed. I told Edward about everything that went on the day before, and he let me cry on his shoulder. He kissed me softly and told me that it was good to see me letting my emotions out for once. I wasn't even aware I had been holding them in. I feel asleep with his warm, strong arms around me.

The last thing I heard before I fell asleep was Bree sneaking out of the house.

Edward and I woke up bright and early to drive to his parent'' house. It would take just over two hours to drive there, but it was lightly snowing and Edward didn't want to take any chances on the road.

I grabbed a small bag I had packed for the overnight stay and kissed my mom goodbye. I thought it was nice she had gotten up early to see us off.

The drive to Chicago was nice. Edward and I talked more about my sister and how I felt I should deal with her. He offered some suggestions of his own, and again, I was thankful my crazy family wasn't scaring him off.

The only problem was, the closer we got to Chicago, the more my nerves flared up. This was the first time I'd ever met his family, and I wanted to make a good impression. Normally, I was more self-assured, but hearing Edward talk yesterday about all the high-class things he had done really freaked me out. I was a simple girl from a simple town. I hoped they didn't think Edward was dating below himself.

We pulled up to the Cullens' house, and I was instantly intimidated. Their house was _huge!_It was easily one of the biggest, most stunning houses I had ever seen.

"Wow, Edward, your home is beautiful," I said softly.

"It's just a house, Bella," he said, picking up on my nerves.

I nodded my head, still in awe.

"You ready?" he asked.

I swallowed. "Yeah, as ready as I'll ever be," I told him, trying to muster up the courage to get out of the car.

The Cullens clearly had money. I was nothing more than a teacher's daughter. Sure, my dad was a cop, but it didn't mean he was rich, either. Our house in Camden was small compared to this. I doubted it house could even be a guest house on this property, it was so small. I knew Edward's family had money, but I never really felt a difference between us until today. Again, I really hoped they didn't think Edward was bringing some low-class, white-trash girl home for the holidays.

Edward exited the car and came around to open my door. Normally, I loved when he was being chivalrous, but today, it just seemed like one more thing dividing us. Most of the guys I grew up with would never open a door for their girlfriend. They would laugh and say you watched too many movies if you even brought it up. Once again, it was clear Edward had been raised in a more distinguished environment. I was way out of my element here.

He took my hand and helped me from the car. Placing his hand at the small of my back, he guided me to the front door. I almost expected an English butler to answer the door, but instead, Edward just opened the door and walked right in.

"Mom? Dad? We're here!" Edward shouted as we entered the foyer. He took my coat and hung it in a closet next to his own. Before I could even ask if we needed to remove our shoes, I heard Alice's voice from somewhere off to our right.

"In the kitchen!" she yelled.

Noticing Edward kept his shoes on, I did the same and followed him into their kitchen. What I saw in there took my breath away. It looked like a kitchen that was more suited for a restaurant than a home. The appliances were stainless steel. A large island in the middle of the room housed the sink and had black counter tops. The cabinets were a beautiful oak with a cherry stain; there was a double oven and a large hood over the stove. It was breathtaking.

"Hey, Bella!" Alice said, waving at me with the knife in her hand, then went back to chopping what looked like green peppers.

I nodded at her, glad to see a familiar face.

Jasper was next to her at the sink, rinsing potatoes. He greeted me as well. I nervously started fidgeting because I had yet to see Esme or Carlisle, and I really just wanted to get introductions over with.

Seemingly reading my mind, Edward spoke up. "Where's Mom and Dad?" he asked, taking my hand. His touch calmed me considerably, but didn't dispel the nerves entirely.

"Mom was helping him carry in a few last minute groceries. They should be in shortly," Alice told him. "Why don't you two sit down and relax for a second before Drill Sergeant Esme comes in here barking out orders."

Edward let out a small laugh at the description of his mom. I, on the other hand, was more nervous. What if I messed up something? Would she get angry? What if I spilled something?

_Oh, God, I should have stayed home!_

"She was teasing, Bella," Edward whispered in my ear as we sat down at stools lined up in front of the island. I really hoped she was.

Moments later, two people, who I assumed were Esme and Carlisle, entered the room carrying bags of groceries. Edward jumped up to help his mom.

After placing the bags on the counter, Edward returned to my side. "Mom, Dad, this is Bella," he said proudly, placing his hands softly on my shoulders and giving them a small squeeze.

"Oh, where are my manners?" Esme asked, coming over to greet me. I wasn't sure what to expect from her. I had assumed a handshake. What I _hadn't_expected was for her to grab me in a tight hug.

"How was the trip?" she asked, looking me in the eye. It made me nervous that she was doing this, but she probably did it to everyone. I really needed to get over the eye contact phobia.

"It was good," I answered lamely.

Esme smiled at me and went back to the counter to help Carlisle remove the food from the bags.

"Please excuse me for not greeting you properly, Bella, but it seems my wife has other plans for me," Carlisle said lightly, earning him a small, playful smack on the arm from Esme.

"It's okay," I said, looking to Edward for some help. I was really botching this. I probably looked completely unintelligent in front of these people. _Kill me now!_

"Is there anything we can help with?" Edward asked, taking my hand and pulling me from the stool I was sitting on.

"Of course there is, dear. You know better than to ask," Esme teased. "Bella, would you like to help as well? Or are you just watching?"

"No, I'll help," I told her, not wanting Esme to think I was lazy or incapable of helping in the kitchen.

"Bella's a wonderful cook. She prepared the entire meal yesterday for her family," Edward praised.

"Really?" Esme asked, seemingly impressed.

"It was nothing, really. I always do it," I told her, wanting to deflect attention from me.

"Nonsense. Bella prepared the turkey, stuffing, all the side dishes, and dessert," Edward said, not letting it go.

I sighed softly.

"That's wonderful, Bella! Do you like to cook?" Esme asked.

"Yeah," was all I could manage to say.

"Good! Would you mind helping me with our turkeys, then?"

"Sure," I answered. "Wait...turkeys? As in more than one?"

Esme chuckled lightly. "Yes, dear. I always prepare two turkeys for Thanksgiving. Carlisle likes leftover turkey sandwiches to take with him to the hospital," she answered.

"Oh, well, that makes sense, then," I said, pushing my hair back behind my ears.

Esme finished giving everyone their instructions and got to work. She and I were responsible for preparing the turkeys and stuffing.

I was working quietly at her side for several minutes when she finally started talking.

"So, Edward says your mother is a teacher?" she asked.

"Yes. She teaches first grade," I answered. I could answer questions about my mom. Mom was easy.

"And your Dad is Charlie Swan?"

I smiled. I could _definitely _talk about my dad. "Yes, he is. It still cracks me up that you guys know him," I told her.

"Quite a small world, isn't it?"

"That it is."

"We've known Charlie for years. Carlisle is originally from Forks. Did you know that?" she asked.

"No, I didn't," I answered.

"Yes. He was born and raised there. It wasn't until he went to college for his undergraduate degree that we met."

I didn't know what to say, so I just nodded.

"You have a younger sister, too, right?" she continued.

I tensed up a little. Esme's brother, Peter, was helping my Mom with Bree's legal issues. I wondered how much she knew about my family.

"Um...yes. She's five years younger than me," I answered. Nervousness rolled off me in waves. I was sure Esme could pick up on the tension.

She looked at me quizzically. "Do you two not get along?"

"We do, she's just a little much to handle right now," I admitted.

"Well, teenagers are a handful sometimes," she said with a soft smile.

"Yeah, some more than most," I said with a humorless laugh.

"That's true, but I assume she hasn't done anything that can't be undone," she said, trying to assure me.

"No, but still..." I trailed off. I _really_didn't want to be having this conversation with her.

Esme laid her hand kindly on mine. I raised my eyes to look at her. "Look, I don't know what's got you so nervous, but please, don't be. I'm sure you're probably wondering what exactly I know about your sister. Truth is, all I know is that my brother is helping her out with some legal issues. That's it. He can't discuss his clients with me – not that he ever would. I'd never ask him to, either," she said, giving my hand a soft squeeze.

I felt like part of the weight I had been carrying had been lifted off my shoulders. Esme didn't know about Bree's drug problems, and it didn't seem like she knew about Phil's situation, either. The fact that she hadn't asked about my stepdad was kind of a relief. I knew that someday Esme or Carlisle would ask me about him, but until then, I wanted to keep it under wraps.

Dinner preparations went more smoothly after that. Carlisle came over and tried to steal some stuffing a couple times, which earned him a playful smack on his ass from Esme.

The air was lighter between us after our initial chat. We talked about living in California, my major, and what my plans were after college. We talked about how Edward and I met, and Esme said she was sorry that I had felt lied to, but from her perspective, she could see both sides. It was actually really nice talking to her. I felt like she might be someone I could confide in easily someday.

Before I knew it, it was time to actually sit down to dinner. I was worn out from the long drive and the subsequent cooking, but my mouth was watering at the feast in front of us. Together, we had managed to pull together a meal fit for a king. There was the turkey and stuffing, of course, and cubed, roasted potatoes with green and red peppers in them, mashed potatoes and gravy, homemade rolls, green beans, oyster dressing, and some cornbread.

Dinner discussion flowed easily. I was far more comfortable talking to Esme now than I had been before and, by the end of the meal, was even comfortable with Carlisle, too. Both of Edward's parents were sweet people and easy to get along with. I was kind of sad that Rosalie had decided to spend the day with Emmett, but I understood. Jasper said he did, too.

After dinner was done and the food put away, we all helped with the dishes. By the time we were finished, everyone was exhausted and retired to their respective rooms. I was surprised to find out that Esme and Carlisle didn't have a problem with Jasper and I sleeping in Alice and Edward's rooms.

I changed into shorts and a tee shirt to sleep in and slid between Edward's comfortable sheets. They were soft and warm, and I wasn't sure how long I would be able to keep my eyes open.

Moments later, Edward slid in beside me. He pulled me to him so that my back was against his chest.

"Dinner turned out really nice," he said sleepily into my hair.

"That it did," I said, yawning.

"See? I told you my parents would love you."

I smiled. "Yes. Yes, you did. I really like them, too."

"I'm glad. Now, let's sleep. I don't know about you, but I feel like I could sleep for days," he said groggily.

"Me, too," I said, closing my eyes.

The last thought I had before I drifted off to sleep was that I was glad I had come here.

Thanksgiving with the Cullens went better than I could have hoped.

* * *

***WARNING* The next chapter might not get out until after the first of September. I just got a job in Nashville, so we're moving there from Indiana. It's a big undertaking that will be consuming a good portion of my time. I'll try to get done as soon as possible, though. However, if you need a good, family-friendly place to visit while in Nashville, visit the Wildhorse Saloon – even talk to a little blonde-haired waitress named Susanne ;)**

**Until next time...**


	17. Chapter 15 Christmas Time Is Here

**Is anyone still out there?  
**

**I can't begin to apologize for how long it's taken me to get this to you. With the move, and starting my new job, things were really crazy for awhile. It's all evened out now, so here's a new chapter! I've already begun working on the next one, so it should come fairly soon. ****Thanks so much for sticking with me!**

**Thanks a million to my amazing betas - Marly and SqueakyZorro who make sure my commas are in line for you all. I've been assured that they are getting much better! LOL**

**As usual, I don't own Twilight, but I DID go see BD opening night. It was a bit over the top and kinda corny, but still entertaining. And, Rob looked hot ;)**

* * *

The weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas were busy ones. School resumed classes, of course, and my class load for the second semester was a bit heavier than the first. That aside, my personal life had become rocky as well.

I tried to keep up communication with Bree, and she kept her end of the bargain – for a little while, anyway. She had a court date the first week of December, and she wasn't too pleased with the outcome. The judge gave her a year in juvenile lock up, suspended, with supervised probation for a year and random drug testing. She was glad she didn't have to go into detention but wasn't too pleased about the drug screens. Bree was also ordered into drug counseling - both group and individual - for the year that she was on probation. That was what pissed her off the most. She didn't feel like she needed professional help. I, on the other hand, was thrilled. So was Mom. Bree was finally going to get the help she so desperately needed.

Things with Edward stayed good, though. He and I talked all the way back home after Thanksgiving with his parents, and he told me that he felt like I was shutting him out. Even though I explained that I felt like I was whining to him, he said he wanted me to tell him these things. He quickly became my outlet when things got to be too much. It felt good confiding in him. In return, he talked about his problems as well. I felt like we were really building a strong foundation for our relationship - even if I missed him terribly every day.

Before I could even blink, Christmas vacation was here, and I was on the plane headed to Port Angeles to meet my dad. I had asked Rosalie if she wanted to join me, but she declined, saying she wanted to go back to Indiana to visit Emmett instead.

The plane touched down, and I waited patiently in my coach seat to exit the plane. When I did, I wasn't surprised to see my dad standing just past the security gate, looking for me.

"Bells, over here," he yelled above the noise of other passengers reuniting with their loved ones.

Seeing my dad for the first time in almost a year brought tears to my eyes. I didn't realize how much I missed him until now. I walked quickly to him and threw my arms around him in a tight hug.

"Hey, Dad," I said into his shoulder.

He responded by hugging me tighter.

I looked up into his brown eyes and saw them shining with emotion. Even though my dad wasn't prone to many outward shows of emotion, I could see him fighting back tears as well.

"How was your trip?" he asked, taking my carry-on from me.

"Good. Rose has been spoiling me, though. The last couple of times we flew, we sat in first class. I forgot how cramped coach can be sometimes," I told him, rubbing my tired neck.

"Sorry I couldn't spring for better, kiddo," he said a little awkwardly.

"Oh! That's not what I meant," I said quickly, trying to relieve his embarrassment. "The flight was fine. It's just...God, I feel like such a brat now."

He chuckled softly. "Don't worry about it," he said with a soft smile.

"Which one is yours?" he asked, motioning to the baggage carousel.

I saw my bag sliding down the ramp and pointed it out to him. He grabbed it when it came around and motioned for me to follow him out. I had learned a long time ago not to try to carry my own bags – my dad wouldn't hear of it.

He walked me out to his police cruiser and I had to hide the smile that was trying to make its way on to my face. As a kid, I used to complain about riding around with him in his police car, but secretly, I loved it. It made me feel kind of important as long as he didn't make me ride in the back.

Once he navigated out of the airport traffic, he started talking.

"So, how's your sister doing?"

"She's okay," I told him. I had been keeping him up to date on Bree's drug and legal issues. "She's still not happy about the counseling, though."

"Does it seem like it's helping?"

"I'm not sure, really. Mom said that when Bree comes back from there, she's moody and almost aggressive some days. Others, she seems happy. Either way, she still isn't treating Mom very well," I said with a sigh.

"Bree's going through a lot, Bella. She has had a lot thrown at her in the past few months. It will take time for her to learn how to deal with it the right way and not hide behind drugs."

"Yeah, I guess. I just don't get it, though. The same thing happened to me, and you don't see me freaking out about it," I said with a sigh, running my hand through my hair.

"You have to understand that not everyone deals with stressful situations the same way. Add that to the fact that it's her actual father that has caused her so much pain," he told me softly.

"Bree said almost the same thing to me at Thanksgiving," I told him. "She said that I don't get it because I still have you to be proud of. She doesn't even have a father anymore as far as she's concerned."

Dad cracked a small smile. I think he liked knowing that I was proud of him just as much as I liked knowing he was proud of me.

"I really don't know what advice to give you, Bells, other than to be there for her as much as you can. Try not to judge her, either. She's right, you know. You still have a 'normal' father, and she doesn't. I think with counseling and your and Renee's love, she will come out okay," he told me, patting my knee reassuringly.

"Thanks, Dad," I told him sincerely.

The rest of the trip was spent with me telling him about finally meeting the Cullens, and him sharing stories about Carlisle and Esme. It was clear there was a mutual respect between the three adults. We also talked about his now live-in girlfriend, Sue.

"Why didn't she come with you?" I asked.

"She said she wanted to give us time to talk. She'll be waiting for us when we get there. Be warned, she's a hugger," he cautioned with a laugh.

I smiled broadly at my dad. From the look on his face, it was obvious that he was really taken with Sue, and seemed good for him. All my life conversations were a bit awkward between my dad and me, but now they flowed freely. I hoped that this would mean we could be more open with each other in the future.

When we got back to his house, I wasn't surprised to see that nothing had changed since the last time I was there. What made me sad was that it had been too long - four years to be exact. He even still had the tire swing hung up in the tree that sat next to my bedroom window.

"Well, are you coming in?" Dad asked lightly from the front porch.

"Yeah," I answered, shaking the sad thoughts away. This was going to be a happy holiday, devoid of the drama of Thanksgiving.

"Sue, we're back," dad called as he entered the front door.

I saw a beautiful woman stand from the couch and come to us. She was Quileute, that was certain. She had long black hair that reached down to the middle of her back, dark brown eyes, and russet-colored skin. Her smile was warm and inviting, and I wasn't surprised when she wrapped me in a warm hug before I even had a chance to say hello.

"Bella, so good to see you, dear," she said after releasing me.

"Thanks, it's good to see you, too," I told her honestly.

"I don't think you remember me, but I met you a few times when you were younger," she said with a smile, smoothing my hair.

I blushed. I didn't remember her at all.

"Sorry, I don't remember," I said, embarrassed.

"Don't worry about it, dear. Please, come in and sit down. I'm sure you're tired after your flight," she said, leading me into the living room.

"Actually, the flight wasn't too long. You guys did an awesome job getting me a non-stop ticket. Layovers are the worst."

"Oh, I know! Don't you hate it when you have to wait at a layover longer than what the flight actually is?" she asked, rolling her eyes.

"Yes. And the worst part is that I'm not even old enough to hang out in the bar!" I said, trying to get a rise out of my dad, who had just re-entered the room.

"You'd better be kidding, young lady," he warned with a smile.

"I am, I am," I assured him.

He nodded and kissed Sue softly on the cheek before sitting in his recliner.

Not long after that, the buzzer on the stove went off. Sue went to check it and came back in to let us know dinner was finished. The smell made my mouth water. Sue had made my favorite - homemade lasagna. I could have kissed her for it. She had also made mashed potatoes with dark gravy, green beans, and I even saw a couple of fish fried up for my dad.

Sue really was good for him.

Dinner conversation flowed easily, and it almost felt like we had been a family for years. It was nice to be able to sit and converse with my dad so freely. I loved that Sue was getting him to open up.

After dinner, I helped Sue with the dishes, then decided to go to bed. I sent Edward a text letting him know I had arrived safely and that I'd call him tomorrow. Right as I was about to head into the bathroom for a shower, my phone rang. Noticing it was Edward's ring tone, I answered it right away.

"Hey, you," I said happily.

I heard him sigh. "Hello, beautiful. How was your trip?"

"It was fine. Not as comfy as first class, though."

"You should have told me. I would have upgraded your ticket."

I rolled my eyes. Sometimes, I still had a problem accepting expensive gifts from Edward. It made me uncomfortable that I couldn't return them in kind.

"It was fine, Edward, but thank you. Are you in Forks yet?"

"Yeah, I just got to our house, so I wanted to call you before I headed to bed. I just wanted to hear your voice first."

I smiled like the lovesick fool that I was. I loved when he talked to me like that.

"Aww. So, are you still coming by tomorrow?" I asked.

"You know it. I'll call you first to make sure you're up and not grumpy," he said with a laugh.

"That's not fair. I really can't control that, you know."

"I know, and I find it to be adorable," he said.

_Yeah,__right._

"Okay, well, this adorable girl smells disgusting, so I'm going to shower. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Oh, Bella, you are evil. Now I have to sit here and imagine you in the shower...naked...wet..." he trailed off.

I had to stifle a groan. It had been way too long since I'd been with Edward.

"Tomorrow," I said softly.

I heard his breath hitch. "Tomorrow," he promised.

"I love you," I told him honestly.

"I love you, too, Bella," he said before hanging up.

I sighed deeply and had to shake the lustful thoughts from my mind.

_Tomorrow._

***  
I woke up the next morning to the most delicious smell. I got dressed quickly and went to find the source.

I found Sue in the kitchen, drinking coffee and reading the morning paper. It made me smile to see that not everyone got their news from their laptops.

"'Morning, Sue," I greeted, making my way to the coffee pot.

"Good morning, Bella. Did you sleep well?" she asked kindly.

"I did. I forgot how quiet it is here. It was divine," I answered, sitting down across from her at the table.

"Are you hungry? I made strawberry-stuffed waffles," she told me, motioning to the stack of deliciousness on the counter.

"They smell wonderful – don't mind if I do."

I got a plate filled with waffles, strawberries, and whipped cream and joined Sue back at the table. We didn't talk much since I was eating, but she did ask me what my plans were for the day.

"Edward is coming to pick me up later. I think he said something about doing a bit of Christmas shopping in Port Angeles today," I told her.

"Sounds like fun."

"I guess. I kind of just wanted to relax today, though. You can come with us, if you need to get any more shopping done," I offered.

"No, no, you two go have fun. Just remember that your dad is bringing home a tree tonight. He'll want you back to help us decorate it," she reminded me.

"I won't forget. Hey, do you think he'd mind if Edward joined us?" I asked.

Sue smiled happily. "No, dear, I don't think he would mind at all."

I smiled back at her and nodded. I quickly finished my breakfast and was just as surprised as she seemed to be when I bent down and kissed her on the top of her head. The gesture was natural for me; I always did that with my mom. If it bothered her, she didn't say, but I wasn't upset with it at all. I really liked Sue and hoped she and my dad stayed happy.

Edward was surprised when I called him a few minutes later. He said he wasn't even going to try to call me before noon for fear of my wrath. I told him he was being a drama queen and to get his sexy ass over here.

Ten minutes later he was knocking on Dad's front door.

I sat on the couch and watched as he hugged Sue softly, asking how she had been. It broke my heart, once again, that Edward knew Sue - and even my dad - better than I did. I planned on changing that.

Finally, he saw me.

"What? You can't even get off the couch to greet your wonderful boyfriend?" he teased.

"Psh, I'm playing hard to get today," I said with a smile.

"Ahh, so, grumpy Bella is back, is she?" he asked, sitting next to me on the couch.

I rolled my eyes at him and kissed him chastely on the lips. "Later," he whispered to me, the thought sending shivers down my spine.

The three of us sat and talked for a little bit, and then Edward and I were off to go shopping. I was surprised that Alice wasn't joining us.

"She actually can't make it out for a few days," he answered when I asked about Alice. "She's got some big project for school to finish up. Her classes let out a little later than ours did."

"I hate to say it, but I'm kind of glad. I love your sister, but I want to take my time shopping today, not running around like my feet are on fire."

Edward laughed. "Yeah, just thinking about going shopping with Alice makes me tired."

The day went nicely. We took our time browsing around the shops. I found things to send to my mom and Bree and picked up some presents for my dad and Sue. We had lunch in the food court and talked about finals and how glad we were that they were over.

"Oh, hey, Dad is bringing home a Christmas tree tonight. Want to help us come decorate it?" I asked as we were loading our purchases into the back of Esme's car. Edward said that she had insisted that he take her car today, as it did better on the slick roads than his Shelby.

Edward smiled happily and pulled me into his arms. "I'd love nothing more," he answered before kissing me softly.

My knees nearly buckled when he deepened the kiss, and my dirty little mind was racing trying to think of a place we could sneak off to for a quickie. Edward groaned as if he could read my mind and pulled away from the kiss. I almost cried.

"Want to come back to my house for a little bit? Mom and Dad should be gone for a while," he asked, his eyes dark with lust.

"Do you even have to ask?" I answered with a smirk.

He leaned in for one more quick kiss and helped me into the car, chuckling softly at me as he shut my door.

True to his word, the house was empty when we got back. He whisked me upstairs and made good on his promise of "later." Twice, in fact. God, I loved that man.

After Edward and I woke up from a nap, we got dressed and went downstairs to find that Esme and Carlisle were back.

"Bella, so wonderful to see you again," Carlisle said as we entered the living room.

"Thank you," I said, sitting next to Edward on the sofa.

"What? Bella's here?" I heard Esme ask from what I assumed was the kitchen. Edward hadn't bothered to give me a tour beyond his bedroom.

A moment later, Esme appeared in the living room. "It's so good to see you again, sweetie," she said with a warm smile on her face. I stood and hugged her.

"It's great to see you, too. How have you been?" I asked, sitting back down.

"Just wonderful, dear," she answered.

The four of us chatted a bit longer before I realized how late it was and that my dad would probably be home soon. We said goodbye to Esme and Carlisle and headed back to Dad's. As I suspected, he was already home and about to unload the tree from the top of his cruiser.

"Want some help with that?" Edward offered after getting out of his car.

"Edward! What a nice surprise! Sure," he said, motioning to where he wanted Edward.

I smiled at the two men I loved the most working together so well and went inside to get warm. I found that Sue had moved all the furniture in the living room while I had been gone.

"Oh, God, Sue, why didn't you call me? I would have helped you move all that," I told her.

"Don't be silly, you deserved your time with Edward," Sue said with a smile.

Dad and Edward brought the tree in, and we all helped decorate it. It was wonderful. Edward and Sue never made fun of my or Charlie's silly Christmas sweaters or my insistence that we listen to classic carols while decorating. Christmas just wasn't right without some Bing Crosby, after all.

Edward and I parted ways, but I was at his house the next day to help the Cullens decorate their tree as well. Esme made us the most delicious cookies I'd ever eaten. The day couldn't have been more perfect.

Three days later, it was Christmas Eve, and Sue, Dad, and I were at the Cullens' for a party. Apparently, Esme loved to entertain and had a few people over. Her New Year's Eve parties were to die for, or so Mrs. Newton had told me.

I allowed Alice to dress me up, and Edward's jaw dropped when he saw me come downstairs. Luckily, Alice had listened when I asked her not to go too crazy, and she put me in a simple, deep purple wrap dress. She topped it off by playing up the natural waves in my hair, applying light purple eyeshadow, a hint of blush, and giving my a pair of black heels to slip into. I felt beautiful, and from the look on Edward's face, he agreed. He was so sweet, never leaving my side the whole evening, filling in conversation when I couldn't think of anything to say, and always offering to get me another drink when he went to get one of his own.

I was thoroughly exhausted when I got home that night. I quickly showered and went to bed after sending one last good night text to Edward.

The next morning was Christmas. Dad, Sue and I exchanged gifts while a warm fire crackled in dad's ancient fireplace. Dad had gotten me a fifty dollar gift certificate to Barnes and Noble, and Sue gave me a beautiful hand-knitted scarf. The detail in it was amazing, and I was stunned to learn she had made it herself.

That afternoon was spent with me back at the Cullens' for their gift exchange. I was clueless as what to get Edward's parents, but he assured me he took care of it. I felt a bit guilty about not helping him pick out their present, but I figured he knew them better than I did. I gave Jasper his present for Rosalie, and he gave me hers to give her when I got back home.

We had a wonderful ham dinner, then we all sat in the family room to watch Esme's favorite Christmas move, _It__'__s__A__Wonderful__Life._ I talked to my mom on the phone before we started the movie and she told me that Christmas was quiet and pleasant back home. Emmett and Rose had stopped by to say hi, and Bree actually stayed home all day. The only tense time was when Riley stopped by for a bit, but Mom assured me he was pleasant with her and even brought her a small gift.

It seemed we all had a good Christmas.

The week between Christmas and New Year's Eve was spent with my dad, Sue, and of course, the Cullens. Edward and I even found time to sneak off alone to _enjoy_each other. It was so nice to reconnect with my dad and to get to know Sue better. I vowed to myself right then and there that I would make an effort to come visit my father more often.

"Why can't I just wear the same dress I wore for Christmas?" I asked Alice as she poked me with yet another pin. She had made me a dress to wear for her parents' New Year's Eve party and was making last minute alterations.

"Ugh, Bella! You know you can't be seen in the same dress at two different parties in a month!" Alice said, exasperated by my lack of cooperation. I rolled my eyes and let her finish without any more complaints.

Once again, when she was finished, I looked amazing. Alice was great at keeping my look simple as I liked it, yet accenting my best features. I never really felt overly made up or completely uncomfortable in the clothes she put me in; I just didn't see the need to be so dressed up for a party at home.

"Bella, you just don't get it. Mom's New Year's Ever parties are _the_parties of the year here in Forks. _Everyone_will be here!" she informed me.

_Not__everyone,_ I thought to myself. Dad and all his deputies would be on patrol tonight, keeping an eye out for drunk drivers. It didn't help that it had snowed more overnight, so the roads were slick. I worried about him being hurt, but Sue assured me he was a wonderful officer and would be fine. I knew this already, but I still worried.

The night went off without a hitch. Edward had me on his arm yet again, and made me feel special and loved all night. Esme had turned their house into party central with a bartender set up in their living room, and she even hired a DJ and turned their dining room into a dance hall. The house was beautifully decorated, and everyone was wearing party hats or necklaces with "Happy New Year" on them.

Even though Edward had told me that I could have some champagne, I didn't feel right drinking at his parents' house, so he elected to stay sober with me. We had a blast dancing and laughing all evening. At the stroke of midnight, he was my New Year's kiss.

"I love you, Bella," he whispered softly in my ear after we ended our kiss.

I pulled back slightly and looked into his beautiful, deep green eyes. "I love you, too."

Just then, my cell phone started buzzing from Edward's pocket. He was nice enough to keep it for me since my dress didn't have pockets. It was then I remembered the time difference, and that I had forgotten to call my mom when it was midnight in Indiana. Edward handed it to me, and figuring it was Renee, I answered it shouting "Happy New Year." Oddly, I was met with silence. I pulled my phone from my ear and saw that it was Emmett who had called me, not mom.

"Em?" I asked, confused as to why he hadn't answered me.

"Bella, can you hear me?" he said, but our connection wasn't great, and his voice sounded weird. Hoping to get a better signal, and to get away from the noise of the party, I headed for the staircase with Edward right behind me.

"Can you hear me now, Em? Happy New Year!" I repeated.

It was then I heard noise in the background on Emmett's side. It almost sounded like a PA system.

"Yeah. Look, Bella, I hate to ruin your night, but you need to get home. Now," he said, sounding stressed.

"What's going on, Em? Is everything alright?" I asked, starting to feel a little panicked.

"No, it's not. There's been an accident," he said, starting to sound like he was holding back tears. "It's your mom, Bells. She… she might not make it."

That's all I heard before everything went black.

* * *

**It's going to pick up a lot from here on out. Expect angst in future chapters. Also, I'm a lonely TwiMomma here in Tennessee. If you live near Nashville, hit me up. I'd love to say hi!**

**Twitter is my obsession. ginger1983_ff**

**Until next time...**


	18. Chapter 16  Unhappy New Year

_Again, I can not apologize enough for the delay in posting. The short answer to this delay is that my personal life went down the shitter big time for a little while. It seems to be on the up swing now, though. Thanks to everyone who is still reading. Things are about to get bumpy in a hurry._

_Thanks to **HockeyChick** for the name suggestion! If you ever need a tranny name, she's your girl! LOL_

*****NOTE: **_The way Bella feels, the things she says about "Phil" do not reflect on my own personal feelings about the transgendered community. I'm a huge LGBT supporter, and wouldn't want you to think otherwise. Consider her situation before you flame me._

_Last, but not least, thanks to **Marly ****and SqueakyZorro** for being my amazing betas. Sorry it wasn't even close to error free this time, Marly! Next time...I "promise"! LOL_

_I don't own anything related to Twilight or the characters. _

_On with the show..._

* * *

**EPOV**

I followed Bella up the steps in hopes I could convince her to sneak into my room after her phone call. She looked so amazing in that purple dress, it was nearly impossible for me to keep my hands to myself all night. But those hopes were quickly dashed when she collapsed into my arms.

"Dad! Dad, get over here! Carlisle!" I screamed, hoping someone would help me. I didn't know what was going on; all I knew was that I was holding an unconscious Bella in my arms.

"Bella, baby, please wake up," I said softly in her ear, trying to figure out what to do. Thankfully, one of the caterers walked by. "Hey!" I yelled to him, "get Doctor Cullen. Now!" The guy looked panicked but nodded and rushed off to find Carlisle.

Moments later, he showed up at the bottom of the steps.

"What happened, son?" he asked, helping lift Bella into an upright position.

"I, I don't know. One minute she was talking on the phone, and the next she just collapsed. Is she okay?" I asked, trying not to show the fear I felt.

Dad slapped Bella's face lightly. "Bella. Bella, can you hear me?" he asked.

He pressed his fingers to the pulse point on her neck. "Her pulse seems okay, if maybe a bit fast," he told me.

I leaned down near Bella's ear. "Baby, please wake up. You're scaring the shit out of me," I told her softly before placing a kiss on her cheek.

"We need to move her upstairs," Dad told me while picking her up by her arms. "Did she hit her head when she collapsed?"

"No," I assured him while wrapping my arms around her feet. "I caught her before she could actually fall."

We had just gotten to the top of the stairs when she started to wake up. Dad and I laid her down gently on the floor.

"What's going on? Why am I up here?" she asked groggily.

"You collapsed," Dad told her. "What happened?"

"Emmett called, and...shit! Edward, where's my phone?" she asked, sounding panicked.

"I don't know. On the stairs, I guess," I answered.

"I'll get it," Dad offered.

"What does Emmett have to do with you collapsing?" I asked, trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

Bella's eyes filled with tears. "I have to get home. He said my mom was in a car wreck. We need to leave now," she said in a rush, rising up off the floor, but getting lightheaded when she stood up and quickly sat back down. She began crying, and I couldn't understand what she was saying. I pulled her into my lap and let her cry into my shoulder.

I was completely confused. Everything was happening so fast, I just needed a moment to get my head around it all.

"Yes, I'll have her on the soonest flight I can. Thank you. Please let me know if anything changes," I heard my dad say into Bella's phone.

"Who was that?" I asked him.

"It was Bella's friend, Emmett. Her phone was still on and I could hear him asking for her, so I answered. Apparently, Bella's mother has been in a car accident. From what he explained, it was pretty bad. I'm going to call around and get you and Bella on the next flight out," he told me, a grim look on his face. Carlisle wasn't one to jump the gun – his years as a doctor had taught him to be cool under pressure. But the look in his eye, and his haste to get Bella and I back to Indiana, made me nervous.

"Did he say what else happened? He started to tell me, but I freaked out and fainted," Bella said worriedly.

Dad sighed and sat on the floor next to us. I'd seen this look before: this was his doctor face. "From what Emmett explained, your mom was on her way home in a cab, and he's not sure who, but either the cab driver or the other car ran the red light, and her car was struck. The cab driver died on impact, but your mom and her friend were injured. Her friend had minor injuries, but it doesn't look good for your mom. I'm so sorry, Bella," he said, laying a hand on shoulder softly.

Bella dissolved in my arms. Her sobs broke my heart. Just a few minutes ago we were laughing and dancing. Now she was completely grief-stricken.

"I'm going to get your mother," Carlisle said quietly.

I nodded and turned my attention to Bella. "Hey, let's get off this floor and into my room," I offered.

Bella didn't answer but rose slowly from my lap. I stood and wrapped my arm around her shoulders and guided her into my bedroom.

"What if she doesn't make it?" she asked when her sobs had slowed a bit.

"Don't think like that. Try to stay positive. You haven't talked to a doctor yet; maybe it's not as bad as it seems right now," I said, praying to God I was right.

"You heard Carlisle, Edward. If he thinks I should go now, it must not be good. I can't imagine her not being here. We were just starting to get along, and now..." she trailed off, sobs shaking her slight frame all over again.

"Shh, baby, don't think like that yet," I said, holding her tightly.

"May we come in?" I heard Dad ask through the door after he knocked softly.

"Yeah," I said, running my fingers through Bella's hair.

"How's she doing?" he asked.

"Not good," I answered, placing a kiss on her head.

"Bella, let's let Edward and Carlisle get you a flight," Mom offered, sitting down next to us.

"Oh, Esme! What am I going to do if she doesn't make it?" she asked, sobbing into my mother's shoulder.

"Shh, it's okay, sweetie," Mom said, motioning for Dad and I to leave the room.

"Dad, is it really that bad?" I asked when we were back out in the hallway.

He sighed and ran his hand through his hair – reaction to stress that he passed down to me. Seeing this wasn't good.

"Yeah, son, it is," he answered. "From the sound of it, Bella's mother was seated on the driver's side and took the brunt of the accident. I want to get you kids out there as soon as possible. I just hope she holds on long enough for Bella to get to her."

My blood ran cold. If Renee died, I didn't know how Bella would cope. Even though they didn't always get along, I knew for a fact Bella cared deeply about her mom. Recently they had been working on their relationship, and Bella was ecstatic about it. But now...

"So, what do I do now?" I asked, completely panicked and confused.

"Just go be with Bella. I'll arrange everything," Dad told me. "I'm sorry, son."

At a complete loss about what to say, I nodded and turned to go back into my room. I didn't know what to do, but I did know I'd do anything - be anything - Bella needed me to.

When I entered my room, the scene before me broke my heart even more than it already was. Bella was lying with her head in my mother's lap, sobbing, as Mom ran her hand through Bella's hair, trying to soothe her.

"Bella, baby, Dad's working on getting us a flight. We should head back to Charlie's and get your things so we can go," I told her softly.

She nodded and hugged my mom again. A silent moment passed between them, and Bella rose quietly from the bed and walked like a zombie into the hallway.

"Take care of her, Edward. If there's anything else we can do, let us know," Mom said, hugging me.

"I have no clue how to help her," I admitted.

"Just be there for her, son. There's really nothing else you can do. And if you need me, I'm only a phone call or plane ride away, okay?"

"Thanks, Mom."

The ride to Charlie's was quiet, save for Bella's quiet sobs. When we got back to the house, Charlie was already there and waiting.

"Oh, Daddy," Bella said, running into her father's arms.

"Shh, Bells, it's okay," he said, rubbing her back to soothe her. I looked away when I saw a silent tear slide down his cheek to give him some privacy.

"Doctor Cullen called me and explained everything. I'm going to make a few calls to the local law enforcement out there to see if I can get more details. In the meantime, go get your stuff and meet me back at my car. You'll get to the airport a lot quicker with a police escort," he told her.

Bella nodded and went into the house to get her things.

"Do me a favor and keep me posted, please," Charlie requested after Bella was gone.

"Of course, sir," I answered.

"We might be divorced, but I wouldn't wish anything against Renee. She's a decent woman," he said with a sniff.

I nodded, not knowing what else to say at such a moment. My mind was a flurry of activity. I couldn't even imagine how Bella felt right now.

When Bella came back out of the house, she had changed her clothes, wearing a pair of jeans and one of my sweatshirts. When I gave her a questioning look, she shrugged and said it soothed her. Why wearing my clothes would soothe her, I'd never know, but I wasn't about to argue with her.

Charlie loaded her bag into his cruiser, and we tore off through the cold Washington night, sirens blazing.

* * *

We got to the airport more quickly than I even thought possible. On the way, Dad had texted me our flight information. The only seating available on such short notice was first-class, and I was more than thankful that at least Bella could be comfortable on the flight. We only had to wait about thirty minutes after we went through security – it seemed the travel gods were smiling on us. I didn't think Bella could handle much more waiting. As it was, she hadn't stopped pacing since we checked in and had just gotten off the phone with Emmett, so she was crying again.

"What did he say?" I asked, pulling her down into my lap.

"They just took her into surgery. She had some pretty bad internal bleeding. They're hoping to be able to find the cause and get it stopped. They had to wait until she was stable first. God, I wish Carlisle could be here. All this medical stuff kind of goes over my head," she said, sniffing and laying her head down on my shoulder.

"I'm sure if I called him, he and Mom would be on the next flight out behind us," I offered.

"No, they've got party guests to attend to. I disrupted their night enough as it is," she said.

"Well, the offer stands. They really like you, and both of them want to do whatever they can to help. If you have questions, you can always call, you know?"

"Maybe I will."

Soon enough, our flight was called and we were on our way back to Indiana.

When the plane touched down, Bella was anxious to find our rental car and be on our way. Being a safety-conscious man, Dad had rented us a Volvo SUV. I snickered when I heard that. He had tried to talk me into buying a Volvo because of the high safety rating, but I bought the Shelby instead. He called my baby "death on wheels." Guess he won the battle. This time.

Bella was in no shape to drive, so she gave directions from the passenger seat, and in no time at all, we were on I-65 and headed north. A little over an hour later, we were pulling into the parking lot of the hospital.

"You ready?" I asked, shutting off the car.

"I'm terrified," she answered, staring straight ahead at the glowing red sign above the emergency room doors.

I took her hand. "I can't imagine what you're going through, but I'm here for you. Whatever you need, you let me know. Okay?"

Bella gave me a small smile, squeezed my hand, and then got out of the car. It surprised me a little how hard she held my hand as we rejoined in front of the car. My girl really was terrified. And strong. We quickly made our way to the reception desk in the E.R.

"May I help you?" the woman behind the desk asked.

"Ren..." Bella started, then broke down sobbing.

"Renee Dwyer," I answered for her, pulling her into a hug so she could cry into my chest.

The woman typed a bit on her computer. "Mrs. Dwyer is currently in surgery in the I.C.U., but only family members are allowed up there," she told us.

"Bella's her daughter."

More typing.

"Ahh, yes, I do see an Isabella Swan as an emergency contact. She may go up. You, sir, will have to wait," she told us.

"No, Edward has to come with me," Bella said, panic laced in her voice.

"I'm sorry, Miss Swan, family members only are permitted in the I.C.U.," she told us apologetically.

"Edward's my husband. We eloped tonight," Bella told her, squaring her shoulders a bit as if to challenge the woman to call her bluff.

I tried hard to hide my reaction. That was _not _what I was expecting Bella to say.

"Oh, well, congratulations, then," the woman said. She looked like she wasn't sure that she believed us but also seemed like she wasn't going to push it, either. "Intensive Care is on the fourth floor. You can take the elevators to the left. You'll have to sit in the waiting room up there until the doctor comes out for you. Your brother and his wife are already there."

"Her brother?" I asked, completely confused as to why Bella never mentioned having a brother.

"Yeah, Emmett's already here," Bella told me, squeezing my hand. Okay, I got it. Emmett lied. Good thinking.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't know," I said, trying to cover my flub.

"Is my sister, Brianna, here yet?" Bella asked the woman before we walked away.

"Not that I know of, ma'am."

"Okay. Thank you."

Bella pulled me over to the elevator and it wasn't until the doors closed that I let out a small laugh.

"Eloped, Bella?" I asked with a smile on my face.

She just smirked and shrugged her shoulders. "What else was I supposed to say? I wanted to make sure you got in, too. Emmett must have had the same idea. I bet Rose died laughing when he introduced her as his wife."

Bella's momentary lift in mood went away quickly when the doors opened to the Intensive Care Unit. She took a deep breath and exited the elevator, scanning the space for Emmett and Rose.

"Bells, over here," I heard Rose say from somewhere off to the right. I looked to find her sitting near a television.

"Oh, Rose," Bella said, dissolving in tears again when they hugged.

"Shh, sweetie. It's okay," Rose said, rubbing her back.

"No, it's not. I can feel it in my gut, Rose," she said, her voice muffled by Rose's shoulder.

"Oh, God, Bella. You're finally here," Emmett said, emerging from the restroom area.

"Em!" she squeaked, jumping into his arms.

They embraced for a long moment, both sobbing quietly.

"How bad is it, Em? And don't sugarcoat it."

"It's bad. Here, come sit down," he said, leading her to the row of chairs.

"How are you holding up?" Rose asked quietly, giving Emmett and Bella a moment alone.

"Honestly? I don't know. Bella's such a mess, and I have no clue what I can do to help her," I admitted.

"She's going to need a rock right now. Just hold her and be there for her. From what the doctor told us, it doesn't look good for Renee," she said sadly.

She raised her left hand to push it through her hair and I saw something glint in the night. I grabbed her hand.

"Holy shit, Rose. Did you guys actually get married?" I asked in an astonished whisper.

Color flooded her cheeks. "Yeah, we did. He asked me at Christmas, and we were going to wait after New Year's to tell everyone. But then we said to hell with it and eloped. We literally flew to Vegas the day after Christmas and got married."

"Wow, that's...that's awesome, Rose," I told her, shocked but happy for them.

"Thanks. Don't tell Bella yet. She has enough on her plate right now," she pleaded.

"No problem," I assured her.

_One shock after another tonight – but at least Rose's news was positive. Time to focus on being there for Bella._

* * *

**BPOV**

"What happened? How did she get hit? How did you find out? Has anyone called Bree yet?" I asked Emmett rapidly.

"Slow down, Bells. Take a breath. Okay, first, I've tried calling Bree about twenty times. Her cell's off, so nobody knows where she is. I found out that Renee was hurt because we were at the same bar she was at. The accident happened right near there. We heard the cars hit," he told me, taking a shuddering breath.

I grabbed his hand and held it. "How did you get the doctors to talk to you?"

"I told them I was her adopted son," he said with a smirk. "How are they going to prove me wrong?"

"Nice. So, what _did _the doctors say?"

"The car t-boned them on the driver's side. The cab driver died instantly. Your mom's friend has a broken shoulder and a nasty bump on her head, but she'll be fine. But Renee..." he trailed off. "...she had pretty bad head trauma and internal bleeding. It took them a long time to get her stable enough to operate on, and they've been working on her for awhile now."

I closed my eyes and tried to breathe deeply. My heart was racing and my hands were shaking. I felt Edward sit down next to me and wrap his arms around me. Just then, I heard a voice I hadn't expected to hear ever again.

"Bella?"

I looked up and saw none other than Phil in all his drag queen glory. He was decked out in a brown wig that went to his shoulders but had on jeans and a sweatshirt. It was weird seeing him dressed as a woman.

"Phil?" I asked, making absolutely sure it was..._him_.

He cleared his throat. "Well, actually, it's Felicia now. Please."

Wow..._Felicia_.

"Sorry, _Felicia_, but what are you doing here?" I asked, confused as to why he was here.

"The divorce isn't final. Since I'm legally still her husband, they contacted me. I had to give them permission to operate," he said, sitting down in a chair across from me.

A silent, awkward moment passed between us all. Emmett couldn't stop staring, Rose was trying not to be obvious in her gawking, and Edward just looked confused. Poor guy.

"Um, thanks for that. As far as I knew, _I _was her new emergency contact," I told him, bitterness crawling through my veins. I was grateful he was able to do something small to help my mom, but then again, he was the one who crushed our world. I guess he owed us one.

"You are, but they couldn't get ahold of you. So, since Bree is too young to give consent, they contacted me next. Renee was smart enough to have things like this in order during the divorce proceedings."

"You still didn't answer my question. Why are you even here?" I asked again, sitting tall and squaring my shoulders. All the things I wanted to say to him right now were racing through my mind so fast, I couldn't get one to hold still long enough to come out of my mouth.

"I still love her, Bella. I never meant to hurt her, or you girls, for that matter," he said sadly, looking at the floor. "This is just who I am."

I felt my eyes bulge. This was just how he was? It wasn't the fact that he felt like he needed to be a woman; it was the way he went about divulging that information. All I wanted to do was tear him limb from limb and burn the pieces.

"This really isn't a conversation we need to have while my mom is lying on a bed, potentially dying. I think you need to go now. If Bree sees you, she'll freak. Leave. Now," I instructed maliciously. Oh, the horrible things I wanted to do to him.

He took a deep breath and sighed. He looked to me, then to the rest of the group. He opened his mouth like he wanted to say something but just shook his head and rose to his feet.

"Will you at least keep me informed?" he asked sadly.

"I'll try, but I won't make any promises," I told him.

He just nodded and trudged out of the room.

"Oh my fucking God, the nerve!" I yelled as soon as he was gone. The few other people waiting around gave me dirty looks for my outburst. Fuck them.

"Can you believe he just came up here like that? And then he asked me to keep him informed? I mean, seriously? Does he think I'm going to have his stupid ass on speed dial or something? Just...fuck!" I shouted, pacing the floor quickly.

"Bella, baby, you need to calm down before someone calls security," Edward said, trying to get me to calm down.

"Fuck them! Call fucking security! My mom is on her death bed, and that tranny fuck wants to come in here like he's some knight in shining armor just because he said they could operate? Why would he do that? Does he honestly think anyone here wants to see _his_ sorry ass? Nope! No one does! Just...fuck!" I yelled, collapsing onto the floor in a fit of anger and sadness. I sobbed so hard, I couldn't even sit up.

Edward joined me on the floor and let me cry into his lap. I was pissed, scared, and couldn't get a grip on my emotions. Thank God Bree hadn't been here when he came in. Security would have been called, for sure. Speaking of...

"Has anyone tried to get a hold of Bree again?" I asked, sniffing and wiping snot on my sweatshirt. Yeah, not sexy at all.

"Tell you what, how about we go outside and let you have a cigarette and some time to cool off. Emmett can try Bree again," Rose said, taking my hand and leading me to the elevators.

I felt drained. I looked at Edward.

"Go, I'll be here when you get back," he said, placing a kiss on my forehead.

"That was some fit," Rose commented when we got outside.

I let out a small laugh. "I wanted to claw his fucking eyes out," I told her, lighting my cigarette.

"You know those things will kill you, right?" Rose snarked.

I flipped her off and blew smoke in her face.

"There's the Bella I know and love," she said with a smile.

We stood there in silence while I smoked. I was glad Rose was giving me time to collect myself and just be quiet. My head was throbbing as it was, and more talking about my mom would just make it worse right now.

I finished my cigarette and followed Rose back upstairs. When we arrived in the waiting room, I found Edward with snacks and Diet Coke. So perfect.

"Thanks," I said, placing a kiss on his forehead and taking the can from him.

"No problem. Are you hungry?" he asked, holding up a bag of Doritos.

"Actually, a little," I said, taking the bag and hunkering down in my seat. "Em, were you able to get through to Bree yet?"

"No," he answered, sighing. "Sorry."

"I'm going to strangle her when I find her," I said, taking a bite of a chip.

Another hour passed, and Bree still wasn't there. Even worse, no doctors had been out to see me, either. I was anxious to hear what was going on.

A little while later, a doctor finally emerged from the large set of double doors across the room.

"Renee Dwyer's family," he said simply.

My breath caught in my throat. This was it.

"Here," I managed to squeak out. Thankfully, he came to us. I wasn't sure my shaking legs could hold me up just then.

He crossed the room and sat in the same chair _Felicia _had been in.

"Are you...Isabella Swan?" he asked, checking his paperwork for my name.

"I am," I answered quietly.

"I'm Doctor Krause, the surgeon working on your mother. She was in pretty bad shape when she came in here. She had massive internal bleeding, along with some severe head trauma. From what we've been able to gather, she was in the backseat on the driver's side and took the majority of the impact. Her right shoulder was shattered, which cut open some important veins in her neck and chest. Splinters of bone were also lodged in her lungs. Her pelvis is broken, as are several ribs on her left side. In addition, there's bleeding and swelling in her brain.

"We've done all we can for her, but she's lost a lot of blood. We were able to stop the worst of the bleeding, but with the head injury, we couldn't proceed any further than we already have. I won't sugar-coat this – it's pretty grim, Miss Swan. There's a high possibility your mother won't make it. The next seventy-two hours are critical. If the swelling goes down in her head, we can try to operate again. Right now, the head trauma is the most lethal of her wounds. We're keeping her in a medically-induced coma and will be monitoring her constantly for any changes. I know this is a lot to take in...do you have any questions?"

My head was swimming with all the information the doctor had just given me. The one word that kept swirling through my mind was _lethal_. My mom's injuries were lethal.

"Can I go see her?" I asked, afraid of the answer.

"Two of you can go back for ten minutes, that's all. She needs time to rest," he answered.

I grabbed Edward's hand. "Come with me, please?"

"Of course," he answered.

Dr. Krause led us back through the doors he entered. The unit was quiet, save for the beeping of heart monitors and the swish of machines breathing for people who couldn't do it on their own.

The doctor stopped outside a door with my mom's name on it.

"I'm going to warn you – she doesn't look good. There are cuts on her face, as well as extensive bruising. We have a blanket covering her, but you'll still see tubes and wires. Don't be alarmed; they're there to help her. Also, we had to shave part of her hair to drill a hole to allow her swelling brain to expand. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I think so," I answered.

"Okay, good. Please be as quiet as possible and mind the ten minutes," he reminded me.

"I will. Thank you, doctor," I told him, shaking his hand.

"You ready?" Edward asked after a moment.

"As ready as I'll ever be," I answered.

I wasn't ready at all.

The person I saw laying on that bed looked nothing like my mother. This person was battered, bruised, and pale. She had a wire coming from her head, and it was, in fact, shaved on top. She had a tube down her throat helping her breathe. She looked so fragile, I was afraid to breathe loudly for fear of breaking her.

"Oh, Edward," I gasped, sobbing into his chest. "She looks awful. She doesn't even look like my mom."

"I know, baby. Do you need to leave?" he asked softly.

"No, just give me a minute."

I stood there and tried to gather enough strength to turn around again. The second time seeing her was still as shocking as the first. I crossed the room and sat in the chair next to her bed.

"Oh, Mom, you have to be okay. Please, come back to us," I sobbed. I wanted to rub her head, hug her, touch her...just to know she was really there. This all felt like a bad dream.

"Do you think it would be okay if I touched her?" I asked Edward.

"I guess holding her hand would be alright. I wouldn't do anything to move her, though," he answered.

Tentatively, I took her hand. It was cold. If it wasn't for the beeping of her heart monitor, I wouldn't have believed she was alive.

"She's so cold," I told him.

"She lost a lot of blood. Dad told me that when you lose a lot of blood, or when you're exposed to the cold for too long, the blood rushes to your vital organs to keep them safe," he informed me.

I just nodded.

"Please, please come through this, Mom. I need you. Bree needs you. I love you," I said, placing a kiss on her hand. I laid it back where it was and left the room, wrapped in Edward's strong arms.

* * *

_So, what do you think? Just a side note, Dr. Krause was my dentist when I was a kid. His brother is also a heart doctor, and has saved my grandpa's life - twice. _

_I won't make promises about the next update, but I WILL try to get it out a.s.a.p!_

Until next time...


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